Hurt, Cope, Heal
by can't.save.this.sinking.ship
Summary: COMP. Sasuke's a successful lawyer whose lover Naruto has just been through a trauma. Naruto is taking his time working through it, but Sasuke would prefer he just get over it. Together they must learn to deal with the past before it becomes their future.
1. Confrontation

**AN:** Heya! I'm new to the fanfic scene, and this little plot bunny popped into my head today.. it's an AU SasuNaru fic, most likely with lots of angst. This is just a prologue, a little preview to see if people respond well.. hope ya like it!

**Disclaimer:** Naruto characters don't belong to me, unfortunately. :(

**Pairings:** As of right now, only SasuNaru. Most likely KakaIruka and LeeSaku in the future.

**Warnings:** Angst. Asshole Sasuke (what else didya expect?)

"Sasuke?" Naruto mumbled, reaching out haphazardly with one of his sleep-addled limbs to grab at the dark-haired man who was attempting to leave the bed. Sasuke easily avoided his flailing arm and stood, moving to the dresser to pull out clothes for the day.

"Come back to bed," Naruto whined, rolling over onto the warm spot Sasuke had just left. "It's too early..."

"Go back to sleep, dobe." His voice was softer than usual, almost tender. Naruto sat up, immediately suspicious. He rubbed his gummy eyes, gazing blearily up at the man, who was now fully dressed.

In a suit.

Naruto groaned, flopping back down onto the bed in frustration. "Back to work? They've called you in every night this week! What more do they want from you?"

"It's important. They're giving me a new case," Sasuke muttered, grabbing his briefcase and moving to leave.

"But-but you've already got two on your hands!" Naruto spluttered, sitting up indignantly. Sasuke paused, facing the door, a dangerous tension seeping into his shoulders.

"Think I can't handle it?" Sasuke asked, voice cold as ice.

"I didn't say that. You handle things perfectly, every time, _always_. I have no doubt that_ you_ can deal with three cases," he snapped, suddenly angry, an old bitterness creeping into his voice. He deflated just as quickly, and murmured apologetically, "It's _my _ability that I'm doubting."

Sasuke turned calmly, but his expression was subtly annoyed. "What, exactly, does my being on three cases have anything to do with your abilities, or with _you_ at all?"

Naruto flinched, then replied, "It's still...hard for me to be alone. After...after everything. You know that." He swallowed, attempted to look down and away from Sasuke's piercing gaze, but two harsh fingers gripped his chin and forced his eyes up.

"I _told _you I'd never let it happen again. This persistent fear of yours; it's a weakness."

Naruto jerked out of his grasp as if stung, and retorted angrily, "Well, unlike _you_, Sasuke, I'm _human, _and I'm not afraid to admit that I have weaknesses."

Sasuke shrugged. "I know I have them. I can admit that. Unlike _you_, though, I actually try and get rid of them."

"I _have_ tried!" Naruto cried, standing up, suddenly not liking the difference of levels between them as the conversation took a dangerous turn.

"Yeah?" Sasuke snorted. "How? By moping around here, clinging on to me like some frightened puppy?"

Naruto saw red. He swung, fist flying towards Sasuke's face. The other, anticipating it, caught the blond's arm and twisted, whirling him around so that Naruto's back was struggling against his chest, bent arm in between them.

"Get _off _me, you bastard!" Naruto yelled, writhing desperately in Sasuke's iron grip. He stomped violently on Sasuke's foot, causing the brunet to grunt, but the latter held on.

"All I'm saying," he whispered against the squirming blonde's ear, "Is that you need to get over this. It's getting old." He let the other man go, watched him crumple to the floor at the suddenness of the motion. He waited for a moment, for the fiery blond to come back at him, fists blazing. But he didn't. Sasuke stared, caught off guard as he watched Naruto's shoulders begin to shake minutely.

"Shit, Naruto..." he trailed off, uncertain. He'd meant what he'd said, but he hadn't expected– nor desired– _this_ reaction. He reached a hand out, hesitated, then touched the back of Naruto's neck, felt the distinct tension there.

"You're...you're right," Naruto whispered, biting his bottom lip viciously to keep the tears at bay, his body shaking with the effort. "Look at me. This is pathetic. I'm...I'm sorry for being like this. Shit," his voice cracked a little, "Damnit, I..." He faltered, voice lodged completely in his throat. His fists clenched, the biting pain of his nails digging in grounding him slightly. The warmth of Sasuke's hand on his neck had yet to leave. They stayed like that for a long moment, Naruto shaking, Sasuke standing awkwardly with an arm outstretched in cautious comfort.

"I have to leave," Sasuke said after a while, but he didn't make a move to do so. He felt the muscles underneath his hand spasm at the words. He kneaded the skin absently, felt a wayward scar as his fingers spread to press against the blonde's upper back. Naruto's breath hitched; he sniffled, wiped his eyes, and turned to look at the dark-haired man from beneath his lashes. His blonde hair was tousled, his shining eyes the purest of blues, staring at him with love and regret. Sasuke felt a coil of heat twist in his gut at the sight.

"I know you do," Naruto murmured. He reached out, cupped Sasuke's cheek, pulled him down to his level. The other man kneeled obediently, leaning forward to capture Naruto's worried bottom lip with his teeth, gently licking it before letting it go. He tilted upwards, about to stand, but an instinctive impulse made him press his lips to the blonde's forehead, made him breath in, inhaling the sweet scent of Naruto's hair. Then he quickly raised himself up once again, vaguely embarrassed at the show of affection, and staunchly ignored the shocked gaze following him as he headed for the door.

He paused once more, his expression once again schooled into nonchalance, and said simply, "Just think about what I said. I know what you went through was horrific. But–

"But it's been long enough, and it's high time for me to stop acting like a little wimp."

For the first time in a while, Naruto's voice was clear and strong, and his eyes, though Sasuke couldn't see them at the moment, were alight and alive, determination blazing within them. A smirk formed on the dark-haired man's face. He knew his Naruto. He'd offered him a challenge, and the blonde wouldn't stop until he'd given it his best effort.

Good.

**AN: **Welp, that's all I've got for ya. Sorry if it's a little confusing right now as far as what Naruto's issues with his past are-- that'll be explained in future chapters. Hope you enjoyed. Any comments/criticism would be greatly appreciated!


	2. Bad News

**AN: **Hello again! Woo, I'm quick, huh? I don't think I've ever done an update within 24 hours! What can I say, the muse for this one is pretty relentless. (Which is a good thing. Yay for no writers block!) Anyway, here's the next chapter. I apologize for any confusion you might be having, since a lot hasn't been revealed yet, but mystery is fun!

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, KakaIru, LeeSaku

**Warnings:** Kissing, cuteness (followed by angst, of course)

Enjoy!

---------------------

At the sound of the front door closing, Naruto slumped tiredly against the bed. He brought a hand up to warily rub at his eyes, the lingering wetness there making him wince. "Yeah, real attractive, Naruto," he mumbled. _Although Sasuke didn't seem to mind this look you've got goin' on_, a snarky voice in his head reminded him. He snickered to himself, remembering how Sasuke's eyes had darkened in arousal at the sight of him, at his wet, blotchy face. "Wow, what a weirdo..." he laughed.

Mood lifted slightly, he pulled himself off the ground and stood for a moment, allowing the dizziness fade before trudging into the kitchen. As he ate, he thought about the earlier conversation he'd had with his lover, trying to figure out why he'd reacted so strongly. If he was honest with himself, while it had certainly hurt to hear Sasuke say so brazenly that he thought Naruto was weak, the stabbing pain had really come from realizing that he _had_ been acting weak, that he'd let the fear take over his life for the past year and he really hadn't tried to get rid of it. He wasn't the type to stop trying, to let something get the best of him, and so hearing the truth in those whispered words had made his mind and body go slack with startling realization.

It _was _time he got over this. No more moping around, no more falling prey to that horrible, rabid paranoia, and, he supposed, no more "clinging" to Sasuke. _Like a frightened puppy,_ his mind taunted.

"Stupid asshole," Naruto grumbled, clearing away his dishes with and popping a mint into his mouth. As he moved towards the living room, he suddenly caught a flash of color in his peripheral vision, and he whirled around, breath caught in his throat. "Shit, Naruto, calm down." He laughed shakily. It was the same shit, different day. His mind played tricks with him, made him see memories instead of reality, made him want Sasuke's presence. He shook his head to clear it, hating these automatic responses to being alone. They only further compounded Sasuke's point.

He sat on the couch, body still tense, and turned on the TV. The jarring sounds of an action movie replaced the awful silence in the room, and he fell asleep within moments.

-----------HURTCOPEHEAL-------------------

"Dobe?" Sasuke called as he entered the apartment, smirking at the thought of the blonde's reaction to the nickname. For the hundredth time, he thanked the foreign language lessons given to all the major lawyers at his firm in order to "increase international usefulness." "Naruto?" he called again when there was no answer. An icy fist clamped around his heart. _Not again..._

He ran into the bedroom, expecting, hoping, _needing_ to see a blonde tuft of hair peeking out of the covers, a wayward, tanned limb thrown across the sheets. No such luck. He swung open the bathroom door; nothing. Bordering on frantically, he moved to the living room, and let out a gust of air he didn't know he'd been holding at the sight of his stupid dobe sprawled across the couch, snoring lightly.

"Damnit, Naruto, you and your heavy sleeping," he muttered, running a completely _steady_ – he tried to convince himself– hand through his hair. He leaned down to shake him, fully prepared for the bucking, terrified reaction; Naruto sat up as if electrically shocked, eyes wide as saucers, breath coming in short gasps. "Easy, it's me," Sasuke murmured, hand still miraculously stable on the blonde's shoulder.

"Why'd you wake me up like that, teme? I coulda hurt you," Naruto reminded as his heartbeat began to slow. His hand was unconsciously curled around Sasuke's, clenched tightly. Sasuke smirked at the nickname, remembering how Naruto had begged for him to teach him a swear word in Japanese after finally realizing what "dobe" meant.

"Like you could," Sasuke snorted, lightening the mood. He didn't want to admit that he'd woken the man up because he'd been...well, shaken. He'd needed to see those light blue eyes dancing with mirth, gazing at him, proving that their owner was alive and well.

"I've kicked your ass before and I can do it again!" Naruto declared hotly, snatching the forearm of the other man and yanking it so that Sasuke was now in the same position Naruto had been in earlier: back pressed against Naruto's chest, arm bent awkwardly between them.

"All _I'm_ saying," Naruto murmured lowly against his ear, lips pressed against the white, milky skin, "Is that I can get you like this anytime, anyplace."

Sasuke shivered at both the words and the hot breath against his ear. For a moment, he was lost, then just as quickly he was back to himself, throwing all of his weight forward so that Naruto was thrust over Sasuke's back to land on his own with an audible thump and an "oomph." The blonde breathed harshly for a few seconds, staring up indignantly into Sasuke's smug, dancing black eyes.

"You ass," Naruto grumbled, before capturing the man's lips in an intense upside-down kiss. Sasuke placed one hand on either side of Naruto's body and leaned forward, kissing the blonde deeply, feeling gusts of breath and flaxen locks brush against his neck, tasting lingering mint as he licked the roof of the blonde's mouth. Naruto shuddered and lifted a hand to cup the back of Sasuke's neck, digging into the midnight hair and pulling him down, closer, closer...

"Mm," Naruto hummed into the other man's mouth, bringing his other hand up to run up and down one of Sasuke's arms. Sasuke smirked and pulled away, gazing down at the blonde below him.

"What did you say again about you being able to kick my ass?"

"Quiet, teme," Naruto growled, before pulling the other down to his lips once again.

----------------HURTCOPEHEAL-------------------

"So I guess this means you've forgiven me for this morning?" Sasuke idly asked the naked, blonde-haired growth on his chest.

Naruto shrugged, his fingers tracing gentle circles on the other's bare hip. "Everything you said was true. There was nothing to forgive."

"Hn," Sasuke said noncommittally, something off in his tone.

"Why, were you going to apologize or something?" Naruto asked suspiciously, glancing up at the man, a small, secretive smile forming on his lips.

"No," Sasuke quickly huffed, looking away from him. "Like you said, I have nothing to be sorry for. I was right." A trace of haughtiness had naturally seeped into his voice, easily covering up the hint of panic that had sparked. Naruto wasn't fooled, but decided to go easy on him, settling for poking him sharply in the stomach. "Ouch, what was that for, dobe?"

"You say it like you're _always_ right," Naruto retorted, absently soothing the spot with a gentle press of lips.

"And?"

"Shut up."

"Gonna shove your tongue down my throat again if I don't?" Sasuke teased, but his eyes were dark and hooded.

"Mm, maybe later," the blonde replied, burrowing deeper into the man's warmth as a cool draft passed over his bare limbs.

"Did I tire you out, dobe?" the dark-haired man asked, snickering.

"Yes, Almighty Sasuke, your loving was just too much for me to handle! I am now so exhausted that I'm at the brink of unconsciousness, maybe even death!" Naruto cooed, batting his eyelashes outlandishly and fanning his face emphatically with his hand.

"Sex-induced death, Naruto? I'm good, but I'm not _that_ good," Sasuke said derisively, but a small smile crept unbidden onto his face at the blonde's antics. Naruto grinned, pillowed his arms on the other's chest and propped his chin upon them, gazing goofily at his lover.

"You _lovee _me," he sang happily.

"Hn, you're in a good mood," Sasuke commented, vaguely amused, hand reaching out to thread through the blonde locks.

Naruto lifted a shoulder briefly in a half shrug, suddenly serious, saying, "Yeah, I guess so. I think confronting...this... was startling, but in a good way. I feel like I have a goal now, and you know how I am with those..."

Sasuke smirked. "Yeah, a raging bull can't stop you once you've set your mind to something." Naruto thought he heard a faint note of pride in the other's voice. He leaned down, kissed the smooth chest again, unable to resist the expanse of skin before him.

"Yup, believe it," he belatedly agreed, nuzzling further.

"Stop, your hair's tickling me," Sasuke whined, slapping at his lover half-heartedly.

"I can't help it, you're so irresistible," Naruto murmured, nosing and kissing at the muscled chest. Sasuke squirmed, the strands of hair wreaking havoc upon his sensitive skin. Naruto smiled evilly, reveling in the knowledge that only he possessed, that Sasuke Uchiha, despite his cold, rough-n-tough exterior, was deeply, intensely, horribly– ticklish.

"Don't you dare, Uzumaki," Sasuke warned as he saw the tell-tale twitch in the blonde's fingers.

"Aw, come on, being tickled is fun!" Naruto complained, itching to attack the man.

"Like you'd know, you're not even ticklish. It's horrible!" the dark-haired man cried, beginning to scoot away, the threat of the blonde's sadistic fingers cracking his composure.

"Psh, I think you're just a wimp. I'm sure it'd be fun, having you on top of me, fingers digging into my skin, making me writhe underneath you, hmm?" the blonde whispered seductively, kissing his way up the man's chest to lick at his neck.

"Nn, what happened to being tired?" Sasuke asked distractedly, the blonde's tongue on his neck doing interesting things to his vocal chords. He raised his hands up to slide across the blonde's back, kneading the skin, feeling the rippling muscles and...oh, shit. The feeling of Naruto's network of cris-crossed scars against his fingers made him pause and realize with a start that he had something to tell his lover. "Wait, Naruto, stop for a minute," he groaned, pushing Naruto back gently, the sight of those swollen lips and deep blue eyes almost making him want to just forget the thought.

"What, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, frustrated as well. Sasuke ran his hands up and down the blonde's arms soothingly.

"I've gotta tell you something," he said. He felt...almost nervous.

"O-okay," Naruto responded, sitting up and allowing Sasuke to do the same. "You're not breaking up with me, are ya?" He said it with a smile, but Sasuke could see the insecurity flaring in those eyes.

"No, dobe, I'm not dumping you." He paused. "Yet."

Naruto punched his arm. "Don't joke about that, jerk." His voice was a little shaky, nerves setting in. _What is it? What could he have to tell me?_

Sasuke grunted, rubbed at his arm. "Sorry. Anyway, I got some bad news at work today."

"Yeah?" Naruto was looking increasingly worried.

"I'm, uh..., I got assigned to, well,--

"Out with it, Uchiha!" Naruto cut in brusquely, fearful now. Sasuke _never_ stuttered.

"They put me on another week-long business trip," Sasuke spit out quickly, "I'm leaving in two days."

Silence. Complete, all-encompassing, _deafening_ silence.

Naruto got up, stalked over to their bedroom, and slammed the door shut as hard as he could. The walls rattled. Sasuke sighed, put his head in his hands.

"Shit, I'm in trouble..."


	3. Final Days

**AN: **Hey, back again. Sorry it's been a few days, I wanted to give you guys a longer one. Thanks for all the reviewers of the last two chapters! Hope you enjoy this one and continue to give feedback!

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

**Warnings: **Slight violence. Kissing.

**Pairings: **Sasuke/Naruto, Kakashi/Iruka, Lee/Sakura

--------------

"Naruto, open up, damnit," Sasuke snapped, banging impatiently on the closed door of their bedroom. He flinched as something thunked into the wood from the other side, obviously thrown by his irate lover. "Look, it _won't_ happen again. I'm taking precautions this time. I already called Kakashi and Iruka; they're coming to stay with you while I'm gone."

There was silence. He waited, forehead pressed against the door. He was prepared for it to swing open, and was fully expecting the blonde to come at him, attempting to tear him limb from limb, but for the second time that day, he was thoroughly surprised. The blonde came at him, but not with the intent to kill.

Naruto Uzumaki; proud, fierce, stubborn Naruto, came stumbling out of the bedroom _begging._ Not only begging, but desperately _pleading_, his hands clawing at the dark-haired man, pulling at him, trying to get him as close to himself as he possibly could.

"Please, _please_ don't go," Naruto implored, eyes wild, "Don't leave me here again! Please, Sasuke. _Please._ I'll come with you; I'll-I'll do anything, just please–

"Naruto, stop. _Stop_," Sasuke ordered, taking a hold of the blonde's shoulders and shaking him roughly. "Calm the fuck down, right now."

Naruto trembled in his grip, breath so harsh it was audible. Sasuke's fingers were painfully tight on his arm, but all he could see, all he could feel, all he could _taste _was the burning, tearing panic, the nausea, the _fear_, all of them ripping a path through his veins like a horde of ragged nails. He struggled; he didn't see Sasuke anymore, he saw–

_SMACK._

"Ow, fuck!" Naruto cried, wrenching his arm out of Sasuke's grip to press a hand to his rapidly reddening cheek.

"Focus, Naruto. You're with me, you're _right here_. Nothing's going to happen to you; you're safe. Got it?" Sasuke insisted, shaking the blonde with every word. "Got it?" he yelled when the other didn't answer immediately.

"Y-yeah– yes!" Naruto yelped, "Safe. I'm safe. Got it." He gasped for air, like he'd been thrown above water after drowning, his knees buckling underneath him in shock and exhaustion. Sasuke caught him easily and moved to let him go, but the blonde clung so he kept his hold, keeping him there for a few long moments, unconsciously pressing the other man's face against his chest. They stayed that way until he felt the last of the trembling cease.

"Alright?" Sasuke asked carefully, arms tightening just in case the other panicked again.

"M'okay," the blonde mumbled. "Sorry...m'weak..."

Sasuke sighed, for the first time in a long time regretting words he'd said to the man. He grit his teeth, frustrated with himself and the situation, and let Naruto go so he could look him in the eyes.

"You're not weak. I meant what I said– you _do _need to start working on getting over what happened, but your reaction right now... Naruto, considering the circumstances, it's entirely understandable." He peered at the man, who kept lowering his head to get away from Sasuke's gaze.

"I guess," the blonde mumbled, picking at his sleeve. There was silence for a moment, before Naruto began speaking again, voice uncertain, faint tremors still lingering in it. "I'm just...embarrassed, for acting like that. No matter if it was justified or not– it was pretty insane. I was out of control...my mind and body were just– just gone. All I felt was panic, and fear, and...and Sasuke, Ifelt like I wasn't _here_, it was almost like... it seemed like I was– " he stopped, shook his head to clear it. "Never mind, it's stupid."

Sasuke, feeling like they were finally getting somewhere, immediately responded, "No, it's not. Where did you feel like you were? Back with–

"Stop! Just stop," Naruto desperately cut in, "Please. I don't want to talk about it anymore. Let's just...let's just sit down and relax for a bit. Okay? Please?" Naruto's eyes were wide and pleading. There was tense silence for a moment.

"Yeah, alright. Don't give yourself a stroke, dobe," Sasuke quipped lightly. He took Naruto by the elbow and lead him into the living room. Ordinarily, the blonde would've yanked his arm out of Sasuke's grip and claimed defiantly that he could do it on his own, thank you very much, but Sasuke suspected that the other man was just too drained. Sasuke sat him down on the couch and moved to sit beside him, but paused as he noticed Naruto's face.

"Wait, dobe. You're bleeding."

"I am?" the blonde asked, surprised out of his stupor. He reached up and felt the corner of his lip, flinching at the slight pain, and brought his fingers back. Sure enough, they were covered in scarlet drops. "Damnit, Sasuke," he whined, "You didn't have to hit me that hard. My beautiful face is ruined!"

"There was no hope for it to begin with, Naruto," Sasuke commented dryly, easily dodging the swipe the blonde then sent at him. "And there was nothing else I could do. You looked like you were about to spontaneously combust or something. It was either smack you or hit you with a blunt object to knock you out."

"Lovely," Naruto grumbled.

Sasuke smirked. "I'm gonna go get the first aid. Try not to get yourself killed while I'm gone."

There was an uncomfortable pause at his words.

"Shit, Naruto, I didn't mean to say that."

"It's...okay. Just a joke, right?" Naruto forced a chuckle. "Don't worry about it."

"Naruto–

"No, it's fine," he barked. "Just go get the first aid, okay?"

Sasuke nodded stiffly and headed to their bedroom. Naruto sighed, frustrated with the erratic nature of their recent encounters, wishing it could go back to him getting over it in his _own _way. _What, the let's-pretend-it-didn't-happen approach? _that damn voice in his head nagged.

"Shut up," he mumbled. The dark-haired man reappeared and kneeled before him, all business now.

"Turn your face to the left," the other man instructed. Naruto did, and Sasuke took a hold of his chin to steady it as he worked.

"Is it bad?" the blonde asked idly.

"No talking," Sasuke snapped. Then, a bit gentler, "No, it's not. Just a little cut. I'm going to put alcohol on it once the bleeding's stopped, then a small bandage."

Naruto was about to respond with a "'kay", but remembered just in time that he wasn't supposed to talk. Instead, he closed his eyes for the next few minutes, enjoying the feel of Sasuke's deft fingers on his skin, and when the other began applying the alcohol, he easily ignored the slight, stinging discomfort. He felt the press of the tiny bandage, then it was done. Sasuke stood and moved to leave, but Naruto grabbed his wrist and turned him around.

"Sasuke, thanks," he said sincerely.

"For what? Hitting you and then patching you up afterwards?" the dark-haired man snorted, turning to leave again. Naruto tugged sharply on his arm, bringing him back.

"No," Naruto said, voice suddenly serious, "For...for dealing with this. With me."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, jaw working. "Did you think I'd leave?"

Naruto averted his eyes, sensing the rise of tension in the room. "Most people would have," he said neutrally.

Sasuke was dangerously silent for a long minute before he growled, "I should hit you again."

Naruto swallowed; didn't look up as he weakly responded, "What...what for?"

Suddenly Sasuke grabbed the back of the other's head and crashed their foreheads together, eyes blazing, making the blonde gasp audibly in surprise and pain.

"For ever even _entertaining _the thought that I'd leave you after what happened, you stupid, brainless _idiot_," the dark-haired man snarled, before capturing the others lips in a bruising, painful kiss. Naruto, shocked, didn't respond for a moment, but then he was kissing back with all he had, his arms wrapping tightly around the other man, back arching into him. The searing pain in his lip became a whisper of thought at the back of his mind as the whole of his being focused on the man in front of him, on the lips moving against his own.

"Sasuke," he whispered in between the hot kisses, his voice heady, "Sasuke, I love you so much..."

The other man stilled at the words, fingers tightening in the blonde hair, before he continued kissing Naruto, more gently now, slow, tender. His way of saying, _Yeah, idiot, I love you too. _They kissed for a minute longer, then Sasuke pulled back, his face twisted in a slight grimace.

"Yuck, dobe, you taste like blood," he commented, wiping his mouth.

"That's not my fault, teme!" the blonde called after him as he walked back to their bedroom, first aid kit swinging behind him.

Naruto smiled, a bit tremulously. Things were back to normal, it seemed. As normal as they could be with him and Sasuke, anyway.

HURTCOPEHEAL

The next day passed with little incident. Naruto slept the day away, as he usually did ever since taking a year's leave from his job, and Sasuke wasn't home until midnight due to the added workload from his new case.

No, it was the day after that when things really started getting strained. Sasuke was leaving early the next morning, and this fact had Naruto fidgeting and antsy, unable to eat or sleep throughout the morning and well into the afternoon. When Sasuke got home, surprisingly early at around five, it was to find Naruto sitting on the couch in the living room, staring at nothing, fingers clenching and unclenching in his lap, legs bouncing in a nervous jig underneath him. Sasuke walked up to him and reached out to touch the back of his neck, unable to suppress a frown when the man jumped horribly and whirled around to look at him, eyes a touch wild.

"Shit, you scared me," Naruto breathed.

"I couldn't tell," the man dead panned, pulling his hand back. "Calm down, dobe. You're going to make yourself sick."

Naruto smiled half-heartedly, a trace of bitterness in the curve of his lips, and said blithely, "Too late, already did."

"Hn. Well." Sasuke stopped, gritting his teeth, not liking this surging of something suspiciously like guilt churning in his belly. "I'm going to eat dinner. Kakashi and Iruka will be here any minute, so. Do what you will till then." He stalked off into the kitchen, radiating irritation.

Naruto stared after him, bewildered. Still, despite the man's sudden weirdness, Naruto felt distinctly more at ease now that he was in the house. _He's going to be gone in 12 hours, _Naruto thought miserably. _A whole week. I wonder how long it'll take them to come for me this time. _The thought made his whole body shudder in automatic fear.

"Stop, Naruto," he told himself under his breath, "You're making it worse. Just relax. Sasuke promised it wouldn't happen. He promised."

"Talking to yourself now, Naruto?" a dry, sarcastic voice called from the doorway.

"Kakashi!" Naruto exclaimed, getting up to greet him. "When did you get here?"

"Sometime during your little schizo episode over there. I guess you didn't hear the door," he replied with a shrug. Iruka appeared behind him, dragging a suitcase.

"Hello, Naruto. How are you?" he asked warmly, letting go of his luggage to give Naruto a hug.

"Hey, 'Ruka," Naruto greeted, patting the man's back. "I'm doing okay. You?"

"Just fine, thanks. Excited to spend a week with my favorite karate student!"

"Damnit, Iruka," Naruto whined, face bright red, "That was ages ago. I was like, 8."

"Oh, Iruka dear, weren't you just telling me how _adorable_ this one was in his bright orange get-up and headgear?" Kakashi cooed to his lover, succeeding in making Naruto's face achieve a new level of plum.

"Iruka!" the blonde cried, indignant.

"Well, you _were_!" the brunet defended himself, glaring at Kakashi.

"What's going on?" a familiar monotone voice asked from the kitchen doorway.

"Oh, ah...Sasuke, hello," Iruka said politely, all traces of the conflict gone from his face.

"Yo, brat," Kakashi offered. "We were just commenting on Naruto's–

"Shut it!" Naruto cut in quickly. "They were, uh, commenting on how good my hair looks right now."

Sasuke snorted, eyeing the rumpled, tousled mess that had obviously been pulled at and threaded through several times in the day. "Right," was all he said.

"So, you guys hungry? Sasuke's making dinner," Naruto said brightly, his mood improved now that Kakashi and Iruka's arrival had somewhat pushed back the other, bad thoughts occupying his mind.

"Yes, please. I'm famished," Iruka admitted, rubbing his stomach.

"Eh, sure. I could eat," Kakashi agreed.

The three of them migrated to the kitchen, where Sasuke was pouring chicken stir-fry into four bowls. Naruto sidled up behind him, arms slipping around the man's waist. He leaned up to kiss the white skin of his lover's neck, whispering "Thanks for making dinner. Sorry for whatever I did" before letting him go. Sasuke turned to look at him, some unknown emotion flickering in his eyes. He looked like he was about to say something, but then he suddenly remembered the other two people in the room, and he quickly turned back to them, handing them their bowls.

The four of them ate in the living room (because Kakashi refused to eat anywhere but a Lazy Chair) and the meal was a peaceful, soothing one for Naruto, who sat with his eyes closed, not eating, simply listening to the sounds of people he cared for talking and laughing, being in his presence. At some point he must have drifted off, because the next thing he knew, he was in he and Sasuke's bed, wrapped up in the other's arms, and the sky outside was ink black. He shivered. _All of those hours I had left with him, wasted. Damnit, now we've probably only got a couple before he has to leave. _He stared at the clock. Yup, just about right. It read in blue "2:48." He curled deeper into Sasuke's embrace, feeling the other's heat spread through his limbs, a deliciously warm balm for his anxious, worried soul.

"Sasuke," he whispered, just to say his name. Just to make it real, that he was here. The dark-haired man was an inherently light sleeper, though; Naruto felt him immediately shift and begin to move, fingers smoothing up the blonde's arms.

"Naruto? What?" Sasuke asked, voice clear.

Naruto swallowed thickly. "Don't go."

"Naruto," he sighed, sitting up to look at the other man. "I can't not go. There'll be consequences at my job. This client is really important to the firm."

"Where are they sending you this time anyway?" the blonde asked grouchily, sitting up too and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Er,...Japan," Sasuke said hesitantly.

Naruto stiffened; he closed his eyes, focused on breathing for a long minute. When he spoke, his voice was barely controlled. "Again?"

"Yes. Same place, different client."

They were both silent as they thought about what was going to happen the next day.

"Naruto," Sasuke said softly after a while. The blonde looked up, eyes questioning. "You know I'm shit at this, but, earlier, I wanted to say that I'm...sorry this has been so hard for you." He looked away after his confession, vaguely embarrassed. Naruto reached up to cup his cheek, turn him back. His fingers stroked gently.

"Thank you. That means a lot," the blonde said genuinely, surprised and pleased at Sasuke's considerate, if a bit stiff, apology. "I know this is something you have to do. You've worked way too hard to get where you are at that firm to lose it all because of this. Because of me."

Sasuke brought a hand up to cover Naruto's briefly, before dropping it and saying, "Hn. Let's go to sleep. I'll wake you up before I leave."

"'Kay," the blonde whispered as they settled back down into the covers. "I love you." Sasuke stroked a hand down his back in response, and was still.

Naruto dug his nose into the other man's collar bone, breathing in the smell of his skin, before glancing warily over at the clock. _One hour and fifty minutes_, _in counting._

God, this was torture.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Naruto? Naruto, wake up," Sasuke murmured, shaking the blonde's shoulder. Pale blue eyes immediately opened, alight with worry and fear.

"Already?" he asked, fingers clutching onto the hand still clasping his shoulder. Sasuke squeezed his fingers gently.

"Yeah," he grunted. Naruto sat up, rubbing his bleary eyes, then stood to face the other man. The temperature in the room seemed to drop as both realized the gravity of the situation. Naruto took a deep breath, throat closing and throbbing, and stepped into Sasuke's arms, savoring the feel of the strong, lithe limbs wrapping around him, the press of the hard chest against his cheek, the slight jab of the other man's chin resting on the crown of his head.

"You'll be fine," Sasuke said, and Naruto thought he could hear just the slightest note of uncertainty in the other's voice, almost as if Naruto wasn't the only one he was trying to convince. "Kakashi and Iruka will be here the whole time, and I'll check up on you whenever I can."

"Kay," Naruto mumbled into his chest. Sasuke moved to pull away, but Naruto just couldn't seem to make himself let go of his lover.

"Naruto, I've got to leave," Sasuke said. When the other still didn't move, he grabbed his shoulders and peeled him off. He then leaned forward to kiss the blonde's forehead, pulling back with an almost apologetic expression.

"I'll see you in a week, alright?"

Naruto nodded, body stiff, stomach knotted painfully. "Yeah, okay," he whispered. "Have a good trip." He tilted forward to give Sasuke a quick peck on the lips, certain that the other could feel their trembling.

Sasuke briefly touched the side of his neck, a parting touch, a clear message: _I'll keep you safe._ _Whatever it takes._

"Bye, dobe."


	4. Beginning of the End?

**AN: **Hiya. It seems like the story is getting a pretty good response so far, which makes me very happy! Feel free to give me criticism, though, because I want to make this the best it can be. Thanks to all who reviewed, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

**Warnings: **A curse word. Sexual innuendos (made by Kakashi, of course.) Violence.

**Pairings: **Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Lee/Saku

------------

_Hands were on him, turning him over; silky-skinned weapons grazing his torn, bleeding skin._

_The mere movement sent tearing, burning, searing pain like he'd never felt through ever nerve of his body. _

_Whispers at the back of his neck, a kind, gentle voice, speaking sharp, jagged words...his swollen eyes wouldn't allow him to match a face to the sound..._

_"You see all of these?" the voice asked pleasantly, before suddenly, viciously scraping a finger into one of his many gaping wounds. _

_His mouth opened in a silent, agonized scream, and the world briefly went black around him._

_The voice chuckled, then said smoothly, sweetly, "You can thank your beloved Sasuke for each and every one..."_

_Utter stillness, blossoming disbelief transgressing into desperate denial; yelling, clawing, fighting away from an iron grip,..._

_"No! He wouldn't do that! You're lying!" _

_Throat-ripping screams, cut off by rough fabric; two hands around his neck, suddenly intent upon stopping his breathing, squeezing tighter, tighter, the world blurring in and out around him, burning, suffocating, pain, pain, PAIN--_

"Naruto! Naruto, wake up!" Iruka pleaded, shaking the boy roughly. "C'mon, get up!"

Naruto's eyes shot open; he bucked and flailed in Iruka's grasp, swinging out with both fists in a desperate attempt to get the other man away from him_. _He felt them strike flesh once, twice, before hands were trapping them down at his sides_, _holding them still. Naruto struggled violently for a few more moments, eyes unseeing, breath coming in short, sharp bursts as he fought with all his might. Then, suddenly, he seemed to realize where he was, and he abruptly stopped moving, eyes clenching shut as if he could avoid the overwhelming nature of the situation. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the ragged breathing of the three within it.

"I-Iruka? Kakashi?" Naruto asked softly, voice trembling, eyes still closed.

"Yeah, we're here," Iruka said gently, though his voice had a definite tremor to it as well. It was also strangely...muffled? The blonde opened his eyes and looked over at him; the sight made him gasp in horror and regret. The brunet's lip was bleeding profusely, split clean down the middle, and he was holding one of his hands over it to staunch the flow. His other arm was around his torso, most likely curling around bruised ribs.

"Shit, Iruka, I'm so sorry," Naruto apologized, putting his head in his hands.

"Don't worry about it, Naruto. It was my fault anyway. Kakashi told me not to wake you up by touching you, but I couldn't help it– you _wouldn't_ respond, and I got desperate," Iruka explained, a small, rueful smile, made slightly painful by the injury, forming on his face as he added, "I see you remember some of the stuff I taught you back at the academy. You can certainly pack a punch!"

"Or two," Kakashi grumbled from Naruto's other side, making the blonde jump. He'd forgotten the white-haired man was still there in the midst of his concern for Iruka.

"Yeah...heh...sorry about busting up your boyfriend's face, Kakashi," Naruto said, genuinely apologetic.

"And his ribs, you crazy idiot," the other man responded, but his tone wasn't accusatory. He shook the blonde lightly. "Hey, you okay now, or do I have to keep holding onto you?"

"M'fine," Naruto said. Kakashi let go and stood, scratching his head for a moment.

"Where's the first aid again?"

"Bathroom. Second drawer on the left."

"Thanks."

The man turned and headed that way, leaving Iruka and Naruto to stare at each other, one gaze guilty, the other kind.

"Naruto, really, I'll be okay," Iruka insisted. "I've experienced worse."

"Yeah, I just– I just feel bad...I should have more control over myself than that," Naruto replied, his arms curling around himself in an unconscious protective move.

"Look, you can't blame yourself for what just happened. You were asleep, having a nightmare. How could you have controlled yourself when you weren't even conscious?" Iruka asked, eyes probing behind the shield of his folded hands.

"But–but I hit you when I was awake," Naruto protested.

"Yes, but you might as well have been still unconscious. You were obviously still deeply rooted in whatever dream you were having," Iruka easily defended. "You wouldn't have attacked me if you were actually in your right mind."

"Unless, of course, he's been hiding his homicidal feelings towards you this whole time," Kakashi offered sarcastically as he strode across the room, first aid kit dangling in one hand, towel clutched in the other.

Naruto chuckled quietly, then laughed outright. "Man, Kakashi, you are so ridiculous sometimes." He sobered and said softly, "Hey, you guys, I'm sorry. Really."

"I told you Naruto, it's _fine,_" Iruka insisted, exasperated, before getting reprimanded by his lover, who was trying to patch up his busted lip.

"No more talking," Kakashi ordered sternly. He glanced at Naruto out of the corner of his eye. "And Naruto, truly, all jokes aside, this wasn't your fault, and both of us know that. Now stop apologizing and get some sleep. It's five thirty in the morning."

"But what about Ir–

"I've got him, Naruto. Just get some rest."

Naruto laid back down and turned on his side, appearing like he was complying, but he didn't mention to the other two men that he wasn't going to let himself fall asleep again tonight even if someone paid him in Ramen noodle packets. Instead, he lay awake and listened to the sound of the whispered conversation going on between the two other men.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Alright?" Kakashi asked, tucking a thick brown lock behind Iruka's ear.

"Feels kinda funny," the brunet admitted, fingering his lover's patchwork. It was definitely odd to have a piece of white bandage over the middle of his lip, stretching the skin whenever he moved it.

"Stop, you're getting blood all over it," the white-haired man complained, catching Iruka's scarlet-stained hand and pulling it away from the other's mouth.

"Kakashi, that's the whole purpose of a bandage," Iruka laughed, then winced. "Ouch, it hurts more like this..."

"Well, good. Maybe you'll shut up for a while and let it heal," Kakashi said, smirking.

Iruka swatted him and mumbled, "Yeah, easy for you to say."

Kakashi stood and tugged at his lover's arm. "C'mon, let's go get you cleaned up. You've got blood everywhere."

Iruka stood obediently, then bent over, hissing in pain, arms immediately going around his middle.

"Shit, you okay?" Kakashi asked, voice loud in his surprise. He lowered his volume, remembering Naruto, and whispered, "Is it your ribs?"

"Ah...yeah," Iruka gasped, clutching the sore area ruefully. "I didn't think he hit me that hard..."

Kakashi put his hand on his lover's shoulder and pointed out, "He was swinging with everything he had. I _heard_ his fists make contact."

"Really? I guess I was so focused on calming him down, I barely even noticed I got hit," Iruka said through gritted teeth as his stomach throbbed.

"Do you think they're cracked? Broken?" Kakashi asked, squeezing the shoulder underneath his hand.

"No, no," Iruka said quickly as he began to straighten up. "They hurt like hell– but I think they're just bruised."

"Can you walk to the bathroom? I want to check," Kakashi insisted.

Iruka gave a tired "mhm" of agreement, not wanting to bother his lip any further, and the two walked over to the small, tiled bathroom.

"Alright, shirt off," Kakashi demanded once they were inside, door shut.

"Pervert," Iruka muttered, before starting to comply. At the movement, though, his ribs shouted in protest, and he shook his head at his lover, saying simply, "Can't."

Kakashi took a hold of the other man's shirt and pulled it up until it was level with the other's heart, scrunching the material before telling Iruka, "Hold this here."

Iruka nodded and grabbed the knot of material at the center of his chest, staring down at the white-blond head at level with his navel. He blushed as he realized their position and Kakashi, sensing this, looked up to wink at his lover, leaning in and kissing the skin above his waistband. Iruka shivered, goose bumps spreading across his skin.

"Mm...let's take a look shall we?" Kakashi asked, fingering the belt of the other man's pants, voice low with arousal.

"At-at what?" Iruka squeaked, eyes darting over to the door, knowing that Naruto was right on the other side.

Kakashi, noticing his worried glance, hedged sulkily, "Your ribs." He sighed and got up, moving to sit on the toilet and motioning for his lover to come stand in front of him. He brushed his fingers along the smooth, tan skin, unable to resist the temptation of running his hands along it for a moment, then sobered and focused on his task. His eyes zeroed in on the beginning of a mottled, dark bruise, starting in high on Iruka's left side. He gently probed at the area, hearing Iruka's sharp intake of air as his fingers made contact with the injured area.

"How's it feel?" Iruka asked after a while of Kakashi inspecting, voice a little shaky in pain.

"Nothing's broken," Kakashi said slowly, fingers stilling on the man's skin as he glanced up to look at him. "I can't tell if anything's cracked, obviously, but even so, time's the only thing that'll heal cracked or bruised ribs." He stood and stretched. "So, want to go eat some breakfast, or go back to sleep?"

"Sleep," Iruka mumbled, moving his lips as little as possible.

"Good choice. I don't think eating right now would be too fun for you," Kakashi agreed. He turned to open the door, but Iruka caught his arm.

"Thanks, Kakashi," he said, leaning up to kiss the man in a barely-there press of lips.

"It's what I'm here for," Kakashi replied easily. His voice lowered seductively, "Among other things."

Iruka snorted, shaking his head in amusement.

"Alright, why don't you clean up, and I'll meet you back in bed," Kakashi said, still smirking.

"Yeah, okay. Get out of here, perv."

_**Two days later...**_

"Sasuke? How are you? Did you get there okay?" Naruto asked, questioning his lover rapidly in his relief to be talking to him so soon. It had only been a couple of days since the other man had left, and last time, he hadn't talked to him until...well, Naruto didn't want to think about last time.

"Easy, dobe, I'm fine," Sasuke's amused monotone crackled through the phone line. "You?"

"Mmm," Naruto debated telling him the truth, "I had a nightmare a couple days ago. Beat the shit out of Iruka."

"He must've tried to touch you to wake you up," Sasuke replied, voice slightly rueful; he'd learned that rule from experience.

"I guess so. I was pretty out of it. I don't remember much– just fighting as hard as I could to get him off of me."

"Him being Iruka or...?"

"Well, it turned out to be Iruka, obviously...but, I thought it was..." his voice trailed off uncertainly before he mumbled, "Someone else."

Sasuke was silent for a moment, considering how to respond. The two of them had discussed Naruto's nightmares every time he'd had them, trying to find more evidence and information about the incident that had happened a year before. The problem was, Naruto always dreamed about the same exact scene, and the same exact man, and he never remembered anything about him other than his voice and his words. Frustrated with the situation, Sasuke asked, "Are you absolutely sure that this guy didn't tell you his–

"For the last goddamn time, he didn't tell me his name or anything about him the entire time I was there!" Naruto shouted, suddenly snapping. "I never even saw his face, okay? I've told you that a million times, so stop trying to get more out of me, cause I have nothing left to tell you!"

For a moment the only sound on the phone line was Naruto's harsh breathing.

"Hn. Well. I've got to go. Meeting with a client." The other man's voice was stiff, robotic.

"'Kay," Naruto mumbled, chagrined. He didn't know why he'd gotten so angry– he was just so on edge, and Sasuke had asked him so many times, and in his head Sasuke's tone had sounded accusatory...he sighed, manned up, said quickly, "Sorry, Sasuke. It's been a rough few days. I'm a little crazy right now."

Sasuke grunted. "Fine. I'll call you when I can."

"Kay. I love you."

"Hn. Bye."

Naruto frowned at the phone after the dial tone rang in his ears. He knew that Sasuke very rarely said the words back, but it would have been nice to hear them, as a sort of reassurance that his angry outburst hadn't fucked things up between them. He shrugged as he put the phone back in its place. He wasn't a girl about it– he didn't need to hear the man say it, but it certainly was nice when he did.

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair tiredly. He was still in bed; Sasuke had called right as he was getting up. He stood, blinking the dizziness away, and walked out of his bedroom, only to be nearly tackled by an unnaturally frantic-looking Kakashi.

"Kakashi–wha? What's going on?" Naruto asked fearfully, eyeing the other man's furious eyes and clenching fists.

"Get your stuff, we have to leave. Iruka's gone."


	5. History Repeats Itself

**AN:** Heyy guys. Sorry about the long wait.. RL got super busy in the past week and I had literally no time to write. Anyhow, thanks to the reviewers, and hope you like the chapter!

**Warnings: **Violence. Cursing.

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Lee/Saku

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

------------------------

"Wait– wait, what?! What's going on? Dammit, Kakashi, tell me what happened!" Naruto shouted frantically as the white-haired man gathered his stuff for him.

Kakashi shoved clothes and the first aid kit in the blonde's hands as he passed by and said tersely over his shoulder, "I went out to the store. Iruka was in the guest room, and you were in here. I guess you didn't hear whoever it was come in. They left a note, and we're in danger, so let's _move._" The man's voice was dead serious, monotone, almost robotic. Naruto swallowed thickly, unused to this Kakashi, and raced after the man, who was already pulling open the front door.

"Can I see the note?" the blonde asked, closing the door behind him and automatically locking it before hurrying after the other man.

Kakashi tossed it over his shoulder mid-step, and it was crinkled to the point of being ripped, obviously handled by furious hands.

Naruto shifted his ball of clothes and the kit to one arm and opened it up with one hand, trembling slightly. The situation hadn't hit him yet, but now that he had this evidence in his hands, this proof that Iruka was gone, taken the same way he was...he shuddered convulsively and looked down to read the simple, neatly written words:

_One down, two to go._

_Looking forward to seeing you again, Naruto._

He looked up, terrified, and saw an empty hallway stretching out in front of him. "K-Kakashi?" Naruto stuttered, fear choking him. He tried to take a step forward, but it felt like his limbs suddenly weren't connected to his brain, and he stood there, frozen in place. "Kakashi!" For a long, tense moment, he was absolutely _sure _that something awful was going to happen to him, and when he heard thundering footsteps, his heart beat along in tandem. _Oh, God, oh God, oh–_

"Yo, idiot, let's go!" Kakashi's familiar voice snapped, head poking around the corner ahead.

Naruto was immediately knocked out of his state and ran towards the other man. "You asshole, you scare– " he stopped; hastily amended, "you almost left me behind!"

"Well work harder to keep up then," the white-haired man said stoically, face hard. He turned around and stalked down the corridor, Naruto following.

"Where are we going?" the blonde asked anxiously.

"Don't know yet," Kakashi grunted. He pushed open the door to the apartment complex and they were met with a dark, brooding sky, rain just beginning to drizzle down.

"Perfect," Naruto grumbled. He pivoted as Kakashi took a sharp turn, and asked, "Did you check the room for any–

"Of course I did," Kakashi bit out, voice like dripping acid.

"I was just making sure," Naruto automatically defended. Then he said apologetically, "Sorry. That was a stupid question." Kakashi grunted in reply, and they were silent for the rest of their walk, only one thing on both of their minds.

They had to find Iruka.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"What do you want from me?" Iruka cried, struggling in his binds. He was smacked sharply across the face and his head snapped to the side from the blow. He groaned– his split lip had been reopened. He felt the blood flood into his mouth and trickle down his chin.

He was sitting, blindfolded and bound to a chair, with at least three people surrounding him. He could hear their footsteps as they circled him, like he was their prey. The lack of sight made his breathing quicken.

"Mm, the blonde asked the same thing, over and over again..." one of them commented, delight coloring his tone.

"Oh, I remember that. 'Why are you doing this? What do you want?'" another mimicked in a high-pitched, whiny voice.

"You shut up about Naruto! Don't you dare say anything about him, you wretched bastards!" Iruka shouted, writhing in his chair as if the mere words had literally set him alight.

The men laughed cruelly at his reaction. After a moment of watching him one of them grabbed his shoulders, slammed them against the back of the chair, and whispered pleasantly, "Touched a nerve, did we?" His voice changed to a growl, "Well, I suggest you watch your temper, Iruka. We don't take insults lightly."

Iruka breathed hard; willed himself to calm down. The anger was still thrumming in his veins, the thought of Naruto suffering at the hands of these horrible people making rage spread through him like wild fire. He forcefully bit down on his urge to scream, on his urge to talk at all, knowing that he was sorely outnumbered, and that any word out of his mouth at this point would be an expletive.

Thick, rough fingers brushed against his neck in praise and he shuddered; muscles tightening, his voice automatically gritting out before he could stop it, "Don't _touch_ me, you disgusting bastard!"

He quickly regretted the hasty words. For the next few minutes, the only sound in the room was the dull, resonating thud of fists making contact with Iruka's skin.

_Kakashi..._

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Naruto, I need you to tell me everything about what happened last year," Kakashi demanded as they came to a stop in front of a small cottage, worried impatience coloring his tone.

Startled, Naruto said, "Hasn't– hasn't Sasuke told you?"

Kakashi unlocked the door and let the two of them in, saying as he walked through the door, "He only told me the bare minimum. He wouldn't betray your trust like that."

"Oh," Naruto replied, a slight smile forming on his lips at Sasuke's considerate action, but quickly fading when he remembered the situation. He looked around briefly, eyeing the wilted furniture and bare wooden walls, thinking of a way to avoid the other man's invasive question. He came up with an impressive, "So, uh...where are we?"

"This is where I stayed before moving in with Iruka," Kakashi said stiffly, eyes flashing. He began to pace as he continued, "Now tell me everything you can remember. The way the rooms looked, the way the men sounded, anything. Anything that could help us find him."

"You-you can't ask me to tell you this," Naruto spluttered, backing away from the other man as familiar shame and panic flooded through his veins. "I can't. I-I just can't."

"Damnit, Naruto!" Kakashi shouted, patience snapping, appearing in front of Naruto as quick as lightening and grabbing his collar. He shook Naruto with every word as he continued hotly, "You're our only hope of finding him, alright? Whoever took him– they're the same people that took you, and you _know_ how cruel than can be, so you better start talking right now or I will _beat _the damn words out of you!"

Naruto shoved the other man off of him, hard, suddenly furious. "Don't threaten me," he growled, "And don't you _dare_ think that I don't want to find Iruka just as much as you do. It's– "

"Well what the hell am I supposed to think, when he's going through God knows what right now and here you are whining about telling me information that could very well save his life!" Kakashi yelled in response, voice ripe with anger.

Naruto's fists clenched, and he stalked up to the white-haired man, rage bubbling out of him as he hissed, "Do you have _any_ idea what kind of 'information' you're asking about? There are things that were done to me that would make you _gag._ It's fucking_ hard_ to even admit that some of them happened, let alone describe every incident in full fucking detail. So screw you if you think I'm whining because– because damnit, I have every right to!" Naruto finished, eyes blazing, fingernails cutting half-moons into his palms as the anger pulsed through him.

Kakashi's eyes were wide and startled– an uncharacteristic expression on the usually stoic man. "I...apologize. I didn't realize it was so difficult," he said softly after a minute.

Naruto backed off slightly, breathing easier. "Yeah, it's...it's okay." He sat down on one of the couches, heard it groan from his weight. He briefly rubbed a hand over his face and muttered, "Go ahead and sit down. I'll tell you the things I think could be of use to us. I'm afraid I can't give you a full run down of...of everything. That's just the way it is. Alright?"

Kakashi nodded and sat down. For the next few minutes, he intently listened, face hard with determination.

_Iruka, I'll be there soon..._

HURTCOPEHEAL

Iruka was lying down, one cheek pressed against the wet floor, where red, copper-smelling liquid was spreading, seeping into his hair and his clothing. His blindfold was gone, but his eyes were too swollen now to see anyway. Plus, every time they even twitched, as if wanting to open, a stabbing pain shot through them– he didn't need anymore pain at this point.

They'd left a while ago, probably hours, but he hadn't had the energy to move. He'd never been beaten this badly– he didn't even want to think about his injuries at this point, they were so extensive. _Just think, Naruto was here for five days. _He shuddered at the thought. His mind drifted to when Naruto had come back; he'd never seen such brutality enacted upon one person before...

_"Out of the way, coming through!" a nurse shouted, frantically pushing a stretcher_ _through the crowded hallway, people rapidly spreading to allow them to pass. Iruka ran alongside it, eyes glued to the blonde-headed person lying there_, _horribly beaten and bleeding profusely, eyes shut in unconsciousness. He briefly looked up to Sasuke, who was on the other side, staring intensely at his lover, a furious glint in his black eyes. __The stretcher abruptly turned to the right, into a small, white-walled room filled with various medical equipment, and immediately Sasuke and Iruka were shoved out and asked to wait outside._

_"Goddamnit, no, I want to be in there," Sasuke said furiously, voice near a shout. Iruka had never seen him lack composure, and here he was, nearly shaking with anger and thinly veiled concern for Naruto._

_Iruka put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, ignoring the way the other man tried to yank himself out of his grip, and said firmly, "Let them do what they need to do. You being there will only be a detriment to Naruto's health. We'll see him soon, alright?"_

_Sasuke's fists clenched, and for a moment he looked like he was going to refuse and continue to fight. But then his fingers relaxed, and he growled, "Alright. But if they fuck him up, I swear I'll–_

_"They're competent doctors, Sasuke. I promise. Now let's go," Iruka said, steering the other man away towards the waiting room._

_"No," Sasuke grunted, resisting. "I'll stay here."_

_"Sasuke, it could be hours," Iruka insisted. "They'll come get us when they're done."_

_"I don't _care_," Sasuke hissed. "I'm waiting here."_

_And that was that._

Iruka smiled, or at least attempted to, at the memory of Sasuke's fierce stubbornness and obvious concern for his lover. The dark-haired man had never liked to show his affection, but nothing could have said clearer that he loved Naruto than his demanding to stay with him.

Iruka felt his hip starting to go numb, so he shifted slightly, the pain from doing so causing him to wince and bite down on his abused lip to keep from crying out. He didn't want to give the men any excuse to come back again. Once he was comfortable – he almost chuckled at the thought– he settled back into his memories, to when they had called he and Sasuke back into the room six hours later...

_A pretty, redhead nurse came out of the room and began to explain the situation to the two alert men, her voice calm and kind. "We've done what we can. He'll be alright, but he's got a long road ahead of him. It'll be months before everything's back to normal. None of the bone breaks were clean– they were all done quite savagely, and so their healing will require lots of care, possibly including follow up surgeries if they don't set right. His bruises should clear up within a few weeks." She paused for a moment, looking reflective. "That's the extent of his physical damage. Emotionally, however... he's probably going to be very... different for a while."_

_"Different?" Iruka asked worriedly. "Different how, exactly?"_

_"What he's been through...there's no words to describe it," she began, her expression sympathetic, "So don't be surprised or hurt if he won't let you touch him or be near him for a while, or if he has frequent anxiety attacks."_

_"Naruto's strong," Sasuke snapped irritably, hours of waiting making him even more agitated. "He's not going to act like a traumatized little weakling_. _He'll get over it."_

_The redhead's eyes flared, and suddenly she didn't look so sweet anymore. "Did you _see_ him, Mr. Uchiha? In all my years of working here, I have never seen such extensive injuries. He was tortured for five days straight in the cruelest, most brutal ways imaginable, and you think he won't be even the least bit emotionally affected?"_

_Sasuke's eyes narrowed minutely. "I'm not an idiot. I realize that an incident of this nature will cause some level of emotional damage_, _but to presume that he'll change his behavior entirely, and will stay that way for longer than a few days is ridiculous."_

_"Obviously," she said coldly, "you have never had experience with this kind of thing." She seemed to come back to herself then, face closing off and shifting into frigid professionalism. "Well, I've warned you of what I and the doctors believe will occur for Naruto physically and emotionally in the coming months. Those predictions may or may not come to pass. If you'll follow me, you can see him now." She turned abruptly and walked back into the room, shoulders set in barely restrained anger._

_Iruka shook his head, angry as well. "Sometimes, Sasuke, you really disappoint me." He followed the woman into the room, not looking back to see Sasuke's expression. He heard the footsteps of the other man behind him after a moment, though._

_The sight before them wasn't a pretty one. Naruto was lying in the bed, various tubes and bandages littering his body, huge spots of scarlet blood still staining the sheets and his skin. The amount of bruises and wounds was staggering– Iruka almost wanted to look away, it was so gruesome. _

_He sat down next to the bed and watched Sasuke take a seat on the other side. He pretended to get himself settled while discretely glancing at the other man, seeing the tensed muscles, the ticking jaw, and the roving eyes, angrily taking in every last mark. _

_"Good evening, gentlemen," a low, rich voice came from the door of the room. They both looked over to see an older man with grey-blonde hair and warm brown eyes, dressed in scrubs and holding a clipboard. "My name is Dr. Hanson," he introduced himself._

_"Sasuke," Sasuke replied._

_"Iruka," Iruka offered. _

_"Nice to meet you both. Sorry it's under such circumstances," he said genuinely._

_Sasuke nodded stiffly. "When will he wake up?"_

_"It's hard to say," the doctor said, rubbing his chin. "We believe he went unconscious because his mind couldn't take the amount of pain his body was going through. It should be lessened now because of the pain medication_ _we're giving him, so technically he should wake up soon. But all patients are different_. _It could be five minutes before he wakes up, or it could be a day. We don't know for sure."_

_"Hn," Sasuke grunted, turning to face Naruto again._

_Turns out, it had only been about ten minutes before the pale blue eyes met the stark white of the hospital walls. The blonde's first reaction was to squeeze them shut again_, _body tensing immediately. Both Sasuke and Iruka recognized the action._

_He was expecting someone to hit him._

_Sasuke reached out_, _fingers grazing his lover's wrist, wrapping around it to give a light squeeze. The blonde began to shake, fingers clenching and body tensing further at the touch. _

_Sasuke frowned, the slightest bit of surprise touching his features. "Naruto, it's me. Sasuke."_

_At this, Naruto did something entirely unexpected. His eyes shot open, panic clear in their depths; he yanked his arm out of his lover's grasp_,_ gasping from the pain of it, and whispered hoarsely, desperately, "Get-get away from me! You did this! You did this to me, it's all your fault, you tricked me–_

_"He's panicking," Dr. Hanson said, hurrying to the bedside. "You have to get out," he ordered, grasping Sasuke's shoulder and pulling him up. "Come on, both of you. Out. He can't agitate his injuries right now. Go!"_

_Sasuke, dumbfounded, obeyed immediately. Iruka followed suit, equally flabbergasted. _

_What the hell is going on? was the question written all over their faces._

Iruka wondered idly if he would behave the same way, if they would somehow convince him that Kakashi had set up this whole thing. He couldn't imagine ever even considering that, but he supposed he hadn't gone through what Naruto had.

Yet.

He shuddered, and for the first time, he felt truly desperate fear race through his veins. What if he didn't get out? What if he couldn't manage to escape, the way Naruto had? They'd found the blonde man in a forest presumably near where the kidnappers had taken him, unconscious and nearly dead. Somehow, he had gotten out, even with his injuries. _Survival instinct,_ his mind supplied. He thought about it for a moment– about trying to get up, trying to find a way out. He experimentally moved his arm, and the pain was indescribable. Had they broken it? Tears of pain sprang to his eyes and he almost lost himself to the urge to let out heaving, gasping sobs.

"Calm down Iruka," he whispered. "Calm down. Get a grip." It took several minutes for him to do so, and even when he did, he still felt the lurking panic, writhing behind the calmness like a venomous snake waiting to strike.

No, he couldn't do it. Not yet. His limbs felt too heavy, his mind felt fogged. His eyelids drooped– he wanted to avoid the pain and the fear, just for a few hours, and then he'd work on escaping; he'd get out, he'd see Kakashi again, and Naruto...

His eyes closed and blessed blackness took him into its warm embrace.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Are you sure that's all you can remember?" Kakashi prodded.

"Yes!" Naruto shouted for the third time that night. He rubbed his eyes, feeling exhaustion beginning to set in. "I've told you everything I know. You have to understand, I was _this_ close to unconsciousness when I escaped. Everything about my memory of it is as hazy as it was when it happened. I'm sorry, that's all I can give you."

"Damnit," Kakashi cursed, slamming his fist on the table in front of him. He took a few calming breaths before saying, "Sorry. I know it's not your fault. It's just, it's fucking frustrating, knowing that he's out there with those bastards, and there's damn near nothing I can do about it."

"Believe me, I know," Naruto replied. "I feel pretty useless right about now. But there's got to be something we can do..."

Kakashi rubbed his chin, thinking. Suddenly, he said, "Naruto, you have nightmares about it, right?"

"Yes," Naruto said, startled.

"How frequently?"

"Usually once a night. Sasuke always wakes me up with an alarm, though. Why?"

"Do you remember them well?"

"Only for the first couple of minutes after I wake up. Kakashi, what's this all about?" Naruto asked, a little fearfully.

"I have an idea," Kakashi said, eyes sparking with hope. "I'm not going to wake you up. You'll dream until you wake yourself up, and I'll be right there to ask you about it, about the details of the location. That's the only way we can get more information."

Naruto swallowed, throat suddenly enlarged and throbbing in his neck. He admitted slowly, reluctantly, "It does seem like a decent idea."

Kakashi got up and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I understand how hard this will be for you. Reliving those moments...it won't be easy. But I'm asking you to consider it. You're the only source of information we have about this place." His grip tightened as he waited for the other man's response.

Naruto took a deep breath, clenching his eyes shut as he thought about what he'd have to do. The nightmares...they were vivid, to say the least. He didn't know what he'd have done in the past months without Sasuke's waking him. He usually always clawed himself apart while he was dreaming, and the panic he felt after waking up, even if he'd only been in the dream for a few minutes, was all-encompassing and vicious. He swallowed, and murmured softly, "...Alright. I'll do it."


	6. Courage Breeds Truth

**AN:** Hola! Finally the next chapter. I like this one for some reason, even though it is kind of a filler... but I hope you guys enjoy it too. Thanks to all who have reviewed and stuck with the story. Don't worry, Naruto and Sasuke and Kakashi and Iruka will all be reunited soon!

**Warnings:** Violence, mild cursing.

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Lee/Saku

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

------------------------

"I'm gonna call Sasuke before we do this," Naruto said to Kakashi, flipping the cell phone around in his hands in a sort of nervous twitch. "He doesn't know what happened yet."

"Alright," Kakashi agreed. He got up and pulled at his shirt. "I'm gonna go shower, then. Make it quick."

"Kay." Naruto opened up his phone and dialed Sasuke's number, heart rate suddenly speeding up a notch as he heard it begin to ring. Why did he feel like he was about to be yelled at?

"Naruto?" came Sasuke's familiar, low almost-growl.

"Yeah, uh, it's me," Naruto replied nervously. "I have to tell you something..."

"Dobe, I'm busy. Can't it wait?" Sasuke asked, voice radiating irritation. He'd probably had a long day.

Naruto winced. Yeah, this wasn't gonna be fun. "Err, no. Sorry. I'll make it quick," he promised. He took a breath, then blurted out, "Iruka's gone. While we were on the phone, he was... taken... by the same people who took me."

There was a long moment of silence, before Sasuke slowly, _coldly_, bit out, "What did you say?"

"Well, you see, I...I was– and Kakashi–

"Out with it," Sasuke brusquely cut in, using that same horrible, flat tone.

"You and I were talking, Kakashi was gone, Iruka was all alone and they came in and took him, okay!" Naruto shouted, breath coming in short, sharp bursts. He _hated_ when Sasuke yelled at him while he was at this level of anger. Naruto didn't mind arguing with the other man when they were both merely irritated, but when Sasuke spiraled to this point, to this cold, calculated anger– Naruto couldn't _stand_ it.

"You're telling me," Sasuke began, voice deadly calm, "that you didn't hear someone break in when you were _one room away_?"

Naruto shrank back at the tone but managed to ground out, "Obviously I didn't. If I'd heard it, I would have tried to stop it."

Sasuke was silent for a moment before asking in a dangerously soft voice, "Didn't I tell you the importance of staying alert at all times?"

"Y-yes, but we were–

"And didn't I tell you that because the perpetrators weren't caught, we had to take every precaution in order to prevent it from happening again?"

"I _know_ that, but–

"It could have easily been you, Naruto!" Sasuke suddenly shouted. "You don't pay enough attention, you idiot!"

The words hit him like a ton of bricks. "I-I know, I was just– I was so relieved to be talking to you again that I...I didn't focus on anything else."

"Well, you should have," Sasuke snapped. He abruptly calmed, voice schooling back into that cool detachment. "Well, what's done is done. What are you planning on doing to find him?"

"That's the other thing..." Naruto said softly. "Kakashi has an idea, but I don't think you're going to like it."

"Hn. What is it?"

"He's not going to wake me up tonight when I have a nightmare."

"What?" Sasuke hissed.

"And when I wake up on my own," Naruto continued, ignoring Sasuke, "He'll ask me about everything, every detail. That's the only way we can get more information."

"Dobe, you're gonna tear yourself apart," Sasuke growled disapprovingly.

"I know but... I have to. It's the only way we'll have even a chance to find Iruka."

"And what will you do if it doesn't work? If your dream offers no information about the location?"

"Then we'll try again," Naruto said firmly.

Sasuke was silent for a minute. "I'm doubtful of the effectiveness of this plan, but do what you have to do."

Naruto shifted the phone to his other ear and bit his lip. "Sasuke?"

"Hn?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not paying attention. For letting Iruka get taken," Naruto whispered, shame filling his veins like burning fire.

Sasuke sighed, took a breath before speaking, and when he did, his voice had finally lost some of its chilliness. "Dobe, don't apologize. Even if you had heard it, whose to say that if you'd done something, they wouldn't have taken you too? Yes, you should have been more alert, and there may have been a way you could've prevented it if you'd been so, but you can't change that now. Just do what you have to do to fix it."

Naruto let out his breath, feeling immediately better after hearing his lover's voice finally devoid of any anger or derision. For some reason, Sasuke's opinion of him meant more than anything. "Yeah, okay," he said. "Will you be able to call in the next few days?"

"Hn. Don't know."

"Alright, well...I'll call you then if anything big happens."

"Try to stay out of trouble, dobe," Sasuke said, an oddly serious lilt to his voice.

"You too, teme. Love you."

They hung up, and Naruto looked up to see Kakashi, looking suitably grim.

"Ready?" the white-haired man asked.

"No," Naruto said honestly. "But let's get to it."

They walked over to a small bedroom, where a tiny twin bed was resting on top of a dark green rug. After a brief glance around, Naruto also saw that there was no other furniture or decoration adorning the room. The blonde glanced over to Kakashi, eyebrow raised in question.

"I didn't have much money back then," Kakashi explained, putting his hands in his pockets and shrugging. "It was before Governor Tsunade hired me."

"Ah," Naruto said. He shuffled his feet as the seconds ticked by, suddenly feeling awkward and nervous. "I guess I should try and sleep."

Kakashi sensed his anxiety and suggested, "How about I wait outside until I hear a commotion? That way I won't be there hovering over you the whole time."

"Yeah, okay, I think that'll work," Naruto said. The other man nodded and left. He stared at the bed, feeling nauseous. He really, _really_ didn't want to do this. Images from past nightmares came unbidden to his mind– he shook them off, forced himself to think of Iruka, of his bright, smiling face and warm brown eyes, of his compassionate nature, of his love for Kakashi...

He could do this. He had to.

He lay down, clenched his eyes shut, and let unconsciousness sink it's teeth into him.

_Familiar hands– long, deft fingers, silky smooth skin– tracing the contours of his body, ghosting over him in the pretense of kindness and intimacy, gently turning him over..._

_His abused limbs shouted out their protest at the movement, pain galloping through their injuries, swallowing him whole..._

_"You see all these?" that lilting, honeyed voice asked...a moment later, all encompassing hurt filled him as a blunt fingernail dragged its way through a wound..._

_He screamed, but it couldn't be heard; his voice seemed lost in the recesses of the pain..._

_A sweet chuckle, and then slowly, deliberately, "You can thank your beloved Sasuke for every one..."_

_Desperate, wild denial filling his veins, rampaging through them, making his broken body somehow regain every inch of strength as he screamed and bucked and struggled..._

_A thick piece of fabric, shoved down to his throat; gagging, heaving, gasping... fingers around his neck, wound so tightly, he could feel his pulse throbbing with every rapid heartbeat... so much pain; he couldn't breathe, he was dying, his vision was closing in, pain, pain PAIN– _

_Suddenly the fingers and the fabric were gone and he gasped wildly for air, eyes burning and tearing, forehead tingling with lightheadedness..._

_"You're lying," he whispered hoarsely, breathing harshly, "Sasuke would never do this to me."_

_"I wouldn't be so sure, pretty. I've worked with him quite closely... in fact, I'd say I'm his favorite client," the voice said delightedly, fingers drawing delicate circles over the blonde's now bruised neck. "Well, me and–_

_"Quiet, snake boy. Boss doesn't want us to talk about that," cut in a rough voice from somewhere to Naruto's left._

_Oh. Had they not been alone?_

_Naruto began to tremble slightly, pain and lack of air making his limbs shaky and his mind hazy. "What? Talk about what?"_

_"Oh, he doesn't know, does he?" asked the gritty voice, hints of a smile creeping into his tone._

_"Kn-Know what?" the blonde asked frantically, beginning to show signs of wanting to struggle again... _

_The other voice was closer now, against his ear... "Your dear Sasuke isn't as loyal as you think..."_

_Naruto's lips trembled in disbelief, and his whole body followed suit..."N-no. You're wrong!" he shouted. "You're not telling me the truth, you fucking psychos!"_

_He was cruelly hauled up by his hair until he was nearly off of his feet, making him cry out, and a knee slammed into his stomach..._

_He coughed, spluttered red, the pain sending him into blackness and then rapidly back into color, tears springing to his eyes and sliding down his cheeks at the horrible intensity of it all..._

_"Don't you _ever _call me that," the__ low voice growled menacingly, spittle flying into Naruto's face. _

_Naruto bared his bloody teeth, suddenly feeling brave. Or, perhaps more accurately, suicidal. He got as close to he could to the other man, judging the distance on the sound of the other's harsh breathing, since he still couldn't see, and said slowly, fiercely, "Psychopath."_

_A low, enraged roar, and then all hell broke lose..._

_Fists flew, blood splattered, tears of pain fell and smeared across bruised, torn skin... the blows were brutal, born from provoked, inhuman anger... there was no escape from them, they were endless destruction, they were endless pain... as it was about to end, as Naruto lay beaten to near death on the concrete floor, the softer voice spoke out once again..._

_"That's enough, Kisame," it said smoothly. "We don't want to anger the boss. He said he wanted this one alive, so obey his orders."_

_There was a disappointed grunt, and with one last kick to the side of his head– _

– Naruto opened his eyes.

"Shit, you alright? Naruto? What do you remember?" came Kakashi's urgent voice.

"K-K-Kisame," Naruto blurted, still deeply rooted in the dream but vaguely aware of the task he had to do. He began to rock back and forth as he tried desperately to keep himself in the present. "One of them–one of them was called Kisame. The other said... the other said..." Oh, God, it was slipping through his fingers already...

"What? What did he say? Think, Naruto!" Kakashi yelled, hope making him panic.

Naruto shrank, shaking, arms immediately going over his head. "No more..."

"Fuck, Naruto, I'm not going to hurt you. Calm down. Calm down, breathe, and _think,_" Kakashi nearly pleaded, staring at the traumatized man, willing him to remember.

Naruto closed his eyes, reverted back to the dancing images in his head, heard the falsely sweet voice... "He said he was Sasuke's favorite client. And he said... he said that he'd worked closely with him. That's all I can remember." With that, Naruto slumped, exhausted, back into the bed, eyes wide open and haunted, body spontaneously convulsing.

"Alright, I'll get to work on that information," he said, jumping up. He gave the blonde a genuinely grateful look and said earnestly, "You did a good job, Naruto." He moved to turn towards the door when he remembered Naruto's appearance. "Actually, before I call Sasuke, let's get you fixed up. You gouged some pretty nice wounds into yourself. Where'd you put the first aid kit?"

"Don't," Naruto said weakly, eyes snapping over to the other man. "Don't leave me alone in here. Not for a second."

"Well–ah– can you get up, then? You need to get those cleaned up," the white-haired man reasoned, voice beginning to show signs of impatience.

"I can try," the blonde replied, voice shaky. He stood wobbily, putting a hand to his head to stave off the dizziness, then slowly began to walk. As he passed the other man on his way to the door, Kakashi made the mistake of putting a hand on his shoulder, causing the blonde to spasm and buck out of his grip, head whirling around to show panicked, frightened blue eyes and nearly bitten-through lips.

"Sorry," Kakashi grunted.

"It-its okay," Naruto stuttered absently, eyes closing as memories washed over him, one after another, cruel touch after cruel touch...

"Naruto?" Kakashi called, watching the other man's eyes go blank. "Naruto, you okay in there?"

Naruto stumbled, put his hands over his face. "They won't stop," he mumbled, rubbing his temples and gripping his hair.

"What? Naruto, what won't stop?" Kakashi asked, getting progressively more concerned, though it didn't show in his voice.

Naruto groaned a little, still bent double, and for a moment he thought he was going to be sick. He gagged and almost was, but then it faded slightly, the nausea a snake waiting to strike. _Snake boy..._ his mind supplied, sending him on another whirlwind of fragmented images inside his head...

"Here, why don't you sit down?" Kakashi coaxed, carefully putting his hand on the other man's back with the intention to guide him towards the nearest chair. Naruto flinched at the touch, but didn't panic, so Kakashi continued with his task until the blonde was sitting down, still curled around himself, but sitting nonetheless. Kakashi stared at the other man– his blue eyes were completely blank, lifeless.

"Naruto, can you hear me?" he asked, waving a hand in front of the other's face. He cursed when the blonde didn't respond. He ran a tired hand over his face, selfishly wishing that he could just work on finding Iruka without having to deal with Naruto, then felt immediately guilty for the thought. His eyes ghosted over the bleeding spots on Naruto's arms and chest, and he debated whether or not the other would let him clean them up when he was in this state.

He grabbed the first aid kit and said softly, carefully, "Naruto, I'm going to patch you up now. I'm not going to hurt you." He approached the blonde cautiously, as if he were a wild animal, and sat down next to him on the couch. Naruto didn't respond; he stared ahead, lost in some private hell that Kakashi couldn't even begin to understand. The white-haired man took out some wipes and disinfectant and began to wipe the long, vicious scrapes on Naruto's arms. The other man trembled slightly, but otherwise didn't respond to the treatment. After cleaning and bandaging the cuts on Naruto's arms, he moved to his chest, where the cuts centered around his neck, deep gashes leading from there down to his heart.

He shuddered as he remembered the other man thrashing wildly in the bed, hands going to his neck and scrabbling desperately at the skin, as if there were hands squeezing his throat...he'd pulled at the skin so viciously that within moments blood had immediately sprung up from the area; yet the blonde had continued ripping through it, his mind set on making him relive whatever horrors had happened to him. Kakashi had felt such a deep sympathy then, and almost simultaneously, a stabbing pang of fear for his lover.

His fingers clenched against the bandage he was now laying out over Naruto's chest, and suddenly he realized how much time he was wasting. He picked up the pace, quickly cleaning and bandaging the rest of the cuts, going so fast that at one point his fingernail scraped into one of the scratches.

Naruto _freaked_.

His fists went flying, his body bucked and struggled, and his breaths became mere gasps, puffs of air infused with tiny, pained whimpers. "He wouldn't do that. You're wrong!" he yelled, blue eyes wild and unfocused.

"Easy, Naruto, it's me– Kakashi!" the white-haired man nearly shouted, hands reaching out to hold the other man down, who became even more panicked at the move. "Damnit, I'm calling Sasuke. Hold on." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the Uchiha's number, watching the other man as it rang, seeing him curl into himself and wrap his hands protectively over his neck. He felt that deep sympathy again, but this time it was tinged with frustration and impatience, because his lover was trapped with the same people who had made Naruto this way.

"What, Kakashi?" came Sasuke's vaguely irritated monotone.

"Naruto's not in his right mind," Kakashi said bluntly. "I need your help."

"What? Explain," Sasuke ordered.

"I'm assuming that earlier he told you what we planned to do. Well, we did it, and we got some good information, but now it appears as if he's still stuck in the dream. He's saying things that don't make sense and he's behaving like I'm one of those fuckers," Kakashi said, anger seeping into his tone. "So can–

"Let me talk to him," Sasuke cut him off, surprising Kakashi. He'd expected the other man to say something like "Sorry, you'll have to figure it out because I'm busy"– but he supposed even Sasuke could show that he had a heart sometimes.

"Alright," Kakashi replied. He turned to Naruto and said softly, "Hey, Naruto. Sasuke's on the phone. He wants to talk to you."

Naruto didn't answer, except for a mumbled, "He wouldn't do this to me. He wouldn't."

Kakashi sighed and said a "good luck" to Sasuke before putting the phone against Naruto's ear.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Dobe?" Sasuke called after a minute of not hearing him speak.

All he heard in reply was short, sharp breathing.

"Naruto, it's Sasuke. Can you hear me?"

An incoherent mumble.

"What was that?"

"I know you didn't do it," Naruto said, voice a pleading whisper. "Even if you worked with them, even if_ he_ was one of your clients, it doesn't matter. You wouldn't do this."

"We're back to this again," Sasuke sighed. "I told you– wait, what? My client?"

"Your favorite one," Naruto said, a trace of bitterness in his voice. "Apparently you've worked with him a lot."

"With who? Who, Naruto?"

"The snake boy..." Naruto mumbled, his words becoming softer and slurred, sounding as if he was close to unconsciousness again.

"Stay awake, damnit, this is important!" Sasuke nearly yelled. "What do you mean by that?"

"That's what– that's what Kisame called him," Naruto said hurriedly. "Before he beat me."

Sasuke took a sharp intake of breath. "Did you say Kisame?"

"'S what snake boy called 'im," Naruto replied, once again sounding drowsy. "He had a really gritty-sounding voice...'n he was tall. Really touchy, too."

"Shit, Naruto," Sasuke breathed. "He's who I'm meeting with in a few minutes. He's the new client in Japan..." he trailed off and was silent for a moment as the pieces fell into place inside his head. Then, slowly, darkly, he growled, "I'll fucking _kill_ him."


	7. Not So Happy Reunion

**AN:** Well, I've got some good news for you all! (Although, it's bad news for me...) I broke my jaw this weekend, so I'm going to be at home quite a bit in the coming days. Which means I'll have lots of time to write fanfiction! I expect lots of concerned reviews haha. Hope you like the chappy!

**Warnings: **Violence, cursing.

**Pairings: **Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

---------------------------------

Iruka woke to the sound of footsteps. He supposed he'd have to get used to exercising his sense of hearing, seeing as he was still blindfolded and would most likely continue to be so for however long they wanted to toy with him. His muscles clenched as they got closer, ready for a fight even though his wrists were still tethered together behind him, and every inch of him was injured in some way.

He stilled as realized that here were voices in addition to the sound of clomping footsteps. He strained to hear their whispered conversation.

"Zetsu, I thought told you I wanted Naruto. What's this about a man called Iruka?" asked one voice, which was so cold and detached that Iruka almost shivered. _Wow, he's worse then Sasuke..._

"Ah, Leader, you see...we thought it would be more fun this way," said the other voice, which was low and had a sort of maniacal tremor to it, a shaky lilt that bespoke of insanity.

"Yes, yes, this way, we'll lure them all here," said yet another voice (wait, there were three?), this one higher then the last, but still undeniably evil and dark. "And then we'll have three tasty–

"Enough," the cold voice cut him off. "You should have listened to my orders. Next time, I'll have to send another member out."

"Yes, sir. We apologize," said the two other voices simultaneously.

_Woah. That had sounded like..._

He didn't have time to think about it, because suddenly they were in the room with him, and the hairs on his arms were standing up. He could feel... something, some kind of energy flooding through the room, some darkness that made him nervous and... and afraid. It was sort of like walking into a basement when the lights were off; that same feeling of prickling fear took him over, that sense that something or someone wanting to do him harm was waiting, watching, ready to strike.

"Iruka, is it?" drawled one of the voices; Iruka was too disoriented to figure out which one.

Iruka didn't answer because his throat seemed to be lodged in his neck. Something about these men terrified him. He'd never felt more vulnerable in his life.

Suddenly his hair was grabbed and he was snapped back by his neck. "I asked you a question," the lowest voice growled into his ear.

Iruka's mouth opened into a pained pant, and he coughed out, "Y-yes, I'm Iruka."

"Good boy," said another voice as the hand in his hair moved in a petting motion. Iruka frowned, confused. That voice had sounded like it had come from the same place above him as the one before. He shook himself and let it go, figuring he should pay attention to the situation at hand.

"He's been beaten quite badly," said that cold, calm voice. "Whoever did it must've been a coward, hitting a man when he's unable to defend himself."

"Ah, yes, Madara can be–

"Quiet!" the other man barked, tone now frigid with anger. "Do you realize what you just said?"

"Sorry, Pai– I mean, Leader, sorry," said the voices hurriedly. "We forget ourselves when around such tasty–

"Out."

"But– but we wanted to–

"Out!"

The pair of footsteps quickly left the room, the two voices mumbling harshly to one another as if in argument.

Iruka breathed a sigh of relief, before realizing who he was now alone with.

Shit.

His heart sped up, thumping a panicked pattern against his chest. He would give anything to _see_, to be able to use his limbs, to fight back and escape! but no, he had to bide his time; he had a feeling that any tricks he tried to make in the presence of this man wouldn't bode well. He grit his teeth and strained his senses, hearing the circling footsteps, the calm breaths, the slight shifting of clothing as he walked...

The fingers on his neck startled him, but he quelled the reaction in time, forcefully schooling his features into calm.

"Don't try and play tough with me," the man said, sounding just barely amused. "I can see right through that act."

Iruka swallowed, was silent. The fingers wove through the hairs at the nape of his neck.

"You interest me," the man said blithely. "You don't fight, like your little blonde friend."

The words triggered a deep anger in Iruka. He thrashed, baring his teeth, and snarled out, "Shut up about Naruto! Don't you say one word about him! You deserve to die for what you did!"

The man let him struggle for a few moments, and then grabbed his neck again, crushing him back against the chair. He got close to Iruka, breath hot and sickening against his ear, and chuckled; a low, joyless sound. He murmured softly, "Now there's the fire I like. Naruto never lost that. Not even when–"

Iruka, blinded by anger, did the first thing that came to his mind: he turned his head and spit in the man's face.

In hindsight, he supposed, it hadn't been the greatest idea.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"I'm taking the next flight out," Sasuke told Kakashi, voice firm and cold with the promise of vengeance. It had been two hours since he'd talked to Naruto about his nightmare, but the fury hadn't abated. "I found Kisame. He wasn't my client after all. I interrogated the imposter and he told me where the real Kisame is."

"What? Where?" Kakashi hissed, hope filling his veins. They finally had something, a clue, some way to find Iruka.

"The mental institution in Konoha."

Kakashi, surprised, responded intelligently, "Huh? What?"

"Apparently he went insane sometime last month. Tried to cut off all of his limbs."

"Oh. Did he succeed?" Kakashi asked darkly, voice morbidly hopeful.

"Unfortunately, no. Not entirely, anyway. He'd only taken off a few fingers by the time the police got to him."

"What a shame," Kakashi deadpanned. "So, when will you be here?"

"Around noon tomorrow. Can you meet me at the institution at one?"

"Yes. Should I bring Naruto?"

"Hn. He wouldn't let us go without him," Sasuke said, a smirk in his voice.

"True," Kakashi conceded, amused.

"See you at one, then."

"Alright. Bye."

Kakashi hung up and glanced over at the man on the couch, who was looking at him with an intense expression on his face.

"Of course I'm going," he nearly growled, angry at being talked about like he was a little kid. "I can handle it."

"I wouldn't blame you in the slightest if you couldn't," Kakashi replied honestly.

Naruto, a little startled, responded, "W-well, I can. And I'm going."

"Alright. Be ready at one, then."

HURTCOPEHEAL

Iruka was shivering. His whole body had been shaking incessantly for the past hour or so, and he wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was because he'd realized, sometime during the minutes since the man had left, that he was going to die. Painfully.

As time passed, slowly, sluggishly, he thought of Kakashi, and Naruto. He thought of Konoha and of his first grade class. He thought of Sasuke's black eyes, and of Kakashi's gentle smirk...

It hit him, then. That image of his lover's face was like a brick to his stomach.

He wasn't going to make it.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed when he caught sight of his lover. The dark-haired man was standing in his typical slouch, hands in his pockets, midnight hair brushing against his cheeks as the cool wind drifted by. A smile broke out on Naruto's face– he felt like he hadn't seen the other man for an eternity. His speed picked up, feet hammering the same rhythm into the ground as his heart was beating into his chest, and soon– not soon enough– he was right in front of his lover, staring into his hard eyes, feeling the warmth radiating off of his body...

"C'mere, dobe," Sasuke said, smirking, eyes a glittering, amused black.

Naruto didn't need to be told twice. He sank into the other man's embrace, arms curling around Sasuke's neck, nose pressing against the warm skin he found there, breaths sharp and quick as he tried to breath in every ounce of his lover's presence. Sasuke wrapped his arms around the blonde and squeezed; felt the desperateness of Naruto's hold and the fast breaths against his neck. He pressed a hard kiss to his lover's temple, then gently pushed him away.

"Hey," he said to Kakashi.

"Hullo," the white-haired man greeted, an odd set to his jaw_._

"Alright?"

Kakashi grunted. "Let's just get on with it."

"Right," Sasuke replied. He glanced at Naruto and said, "You don't have to do this. We can handle it."

"Yeah and so can I," Naruto retorted hotly. His expression turned sheepish, and he said softly, "Look, thanks for your concern, but I'll be okay."

Sasuke nodded, and the three of them made their way into the institution. It wasn't what one would expect– the walls were a pale blue, the rugs were a soft amber, and there was cozy-looking furniture decorating the entire lobby. It felt...warm. Naruto was automatically apprehensive.

They approached the front desk, where a kind-looking brunette was sitting. "Hello, how may I help you?" she asked, eyes crinkling as she gave a welcoming smile.

"Hi. We're here to see a man by the name of Kisame Hoshigaki," Sasuke said.

"Well, ah,... are you family members? Do you have a specified appointment?"

"No and no. We're investigating a crime," the dark-haired man replied. He pulled out an official-looking document from his pocket and handed it over. She read it with a slightly startled face, then nodded.

"Alright. Dr. Tolman will lead you to his room," she said, gesturing to a tall blonde man walking towards them.

"Hello, Silvie. What do you need?" he asked her.

"These men are here to see Kisame Hoshigaki."

The man's face darkened imperceptibly. "Alright." He turned to face the group of three standing in front of him. "Hello, gentlemen. Follow me."

They walked down a long hallway until they stopped at a brown, nondescript door with the number '223' written across it.

"Here you are," Dr. Tolman said. "Just some quick rules before you go in– no physical contact with the patient, no loud, sudden noises, and if there's a problem, hit the emergency button on the panel by the door and we'll be there immediately. Alright?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you," Naruto said politely. The man smiled and left, footsteps sounding down the corridor.

"Ready?" Sasuke asked his lover, staring at him intensely.

"M'fine," the blonde mumbled. "Let's go already."

Sasuke grunted and opened the door, only to be greeted by utter darkness. He glanced back at the other two, eyebrow raised in question. Kakashi shrugged and said, "There's probably a light switch inside. Go on."

The three cautiously walked in, Sasuke at the front, Naruto in the middle, and Kakashi at the rear.

"Teme, find the switch," Naruto whispered urgently, beginning to feel nervousness seep into his veins. Something didn't feel right.

"I'm trying," Sasuke grumbled. "It's not– oh, found it."

Light filled the room, and then there was chaos.

A large man came hurtling at them, screaming and snarling, eyes alight and crazed, fists flying in wild, furious swings. Naruto scrambled backwards, terrified, until he slammed into the wall behind him and fell, knees buckling underneath him as all-encompassing fear paralyzed him. His eyes clenched shut and suddenly he was back in that cell, waiting to get beaten and unable to do anything about it because he was so injured, panic clawing at him viciously until he could barely breathe...

Then there was laughter. Dark, sadistic, malicious laughter.

"Oh, man," Kisame chuckled, "Look at that, he's still a little–

"I'll _murder_ you!" Sasuke raged, suddenly more angry than he'd ever been in his life. He threw himself at the other man, homicide in his eyes, but Kakashi caught him, wrestled him into a headlock, and hissed,

"_Stop. _Stop, Sasuke! They have cameras in here– you can't touch him or you'll be locked up in a place just like this! You have to calm down. Now!"

Sasuke snarled., breathing hard, and tried to listen to the voice in his head telling him to settle the fuck down; but he could hear Naruto gasping, and he could see this man enjoying it; he had to physically fight the overwhelming waves of anger pouring through his veins telling him to _kill, kill, kill_.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he calmed, at least enough to know that he wouldn't all out attack the man if Kakashi let go. The white-haired man seemed to realize this, and slowly released him.

"You talk to the fucker," Sasuke bit out through gritted teeth before moving towards his lover. The blonde was huddled against the wall, _quaking_ in fear, breaths shallow and rapid, body protectively curled into itself. Sasuke knelt down next to him, careful he didn't touch him, and whispered gently, "Dobe, it's alright. Breathe."

Naruto gulped in air, but it didn't seem to be _enough_– he kept trying to breathe deep, but the fear was too much, the panic was too much, he was drowning–

Then arms were around him, holding him together and keeping him afloat. He burrowed into them desperately, hands grappling against the other's shoulders, trying to pull him as close as possible. Sasuke stroked his back and said, "You're going back outside."

Naruto's hold tightened, body tensing in panicked disapproval. He wanted to stay just where he was, thank you very much. Then, slowly, he relaxed, and said softly but firmly, "No– I'm–I'm fine. M'okay, really. It just took me by surprise."

Sasuke pushed him back by the shoulders so that he could look at him. His eyes were intense. "You don't have to stay here. Seriously."

"I'll be alright," the blonde insisted. Sasuke moved a hand to the back of his neck and squeezed.

"If you say so."

"Aw, how cute," Kisame sneered.

"Shut the fuck up," Kakashi barked. The other man held two hands up in a 'surrender' position and said,

"Sheesh, sorry." He paused, looked around speculatively. "So, what can I help you gentlemen with?"

Kakashi's fists clenched. "You can start by telling me where the hell your posse took Iruka."

"Iruka?" the man asked innocently.

"Don't fuck with me," Kakashi growled, barely restraining himself from hitting the man.

"Well, what? You expect me to just talk?" the man chuckled. "Man, you obviously have never tried to get information out of someone before..."

"The torture instruments are in Sasuke's bag," Kakashi deadpanned.

Kisame smirked. "That's more like it."

"You're a psychopath," Kakashi snapped, just to get out some of his anger.

The words flicked that unseen switch in Kisame's head, setting him alight and turning him into a wildfire of rage. He launched himself at the white-haired man, murder in his expression, and Kakashi, luckily blessed with quick reflexes, dodged before he was hit.

Only problem was that now Kisame was heading right towards Naruto and Sasuke.

"I'll kill you!" he was screaming, fists blindly swinging at the two men, eyes rolled back in insanity.

"Naruto, run!" Sasuke quickly ordered, opening the door behind him and shoving the blonde out despite his protests. In the process, he got a fist to the side and to the back of the head. He cursed and turned around to fight back, catching one of the man's wayward fists as Kakashi made his way towards the panel next to the door.

"No, don't!" Sasuke called to him as he struggled. "We'll be kicked out and won't be allowed back in!"

Just then Kisame's fist got free, and socked Sasuke right in the gut. The dark-haired man grunted in pain, then drove an upper cut into the man's chin. Kisame staggered backwards, then hurtled forward again, growling and snarling.

"I'll rip you limb from limb, blondie, I don't care what fucking Pain or Itachi say, I'll murder you!" he roared.

Sasuke went utterly still at the words, which gave Kisame just enough time to barrel past him and slip out of the still open door.

"Sasuke, snap out of it! He's going for Naruto!" Kakashi yelled, shoving the dark-haired man then taking off after Kisame.

"Shit," Sasuke cursed. He ran out the door and rushed down the corridor after Kakashi.

Halfway down the hall he saw a scene that made his blood _boil_.

Kisame was pummeling his lover, hitting with such force that the blonde's body was rocking from side to side with each blow. He had one hand holding Naruto against the wall by his neck, choking him, while the other slammed again and again into his stomach his arms, his groin, anywhere he could reach. Naruto was trying desperately to fight him off, but he couldn't breathe, and the other man was larger and stronger– his fists found the blonde's skin easily and powerfully.

Sasuke saw red.

He sprinted to the two and yanked the taller man off of his lover before landing one of the hardest punches he'd ever given right to the man's face. Kisame flew backwards and skidded on his butt across the floor, hands reaching up to cover his bleeding, broken nose.

Sasuke stalked over to him, wanting to continue the process of beating him into a pulp, but then he noticed the people gathering around them.

"What's going on?" asked Sylvie as she rushed onto the scene, looking frazzled. She gasped at the sight of Naruto. "Oh, my– Dr. Tolman!"

"I see him, I'm on it," the man said as he passed her. "Get security to get Hoshigaki back to his room. Now!"

"We're right here, sir," called a buff-looking man from a little ways down the corridor. He was surrounded by three other men about his size, and they hurried down towards them; a giant, dark mass. When they got to Kisame, they hauled him up by the arms, forcing his hands away from his bloody face, and dragged him off in the direction of his room.

"Everything's alright, clear the hallway, please!" Sylvie was calling to the people littering the area. "Everyone but those directly involved, please leave the area, thank you!"

The people slowly began to filter out, until the only ones left in the hallway were Sasuke, Naruto, Kakashi, and Dr. Tolman.

Sasuke watched them all leave, breathing hard, anger still hot and pumping in his veins. Seeing those fists crash into his lover again and again while he had no way to defend himself... it had driven him to a rage he'd never felt before. He looked down and saw that he'd cut bleeding half-moons into his palms, he'd clenched his fists so hard.

"Sasuke?" came Naruto's weak, rasping voice.

Sasuke immediately turned and knelt down beside him, right across from Dr. Tolman, who was pressing his fingers against different places on the blonde's body with a serious expression on his face.

"Yeah, dobe, I'm right here," he asked softly. "You alright?"

"Hurts," was all the blonde said, his face contorted in pain. Sasuke's anger frothed up again, and he grit his teeth to quell it.

"Where does it hurt the most?" Dr. Tolman asked.

Naruto's eyes clenched shut, and he bit out, "Everywhere. But my stomach is the worst... the bastard hit me in the nuts at least four times."

Both Sasuke and the doctor grimaced, imagining it. The latter looked up at the dark-haired man and said, "I'd recommend you take him to the urgent care center down the road. Nothing appears to be seriously injured, but he should be checked out, just in case."

Sasuke nodded. "Right. We'll take him there."

Dr. Tolman stood. "Well, then, I have to go check on my patient. Make sure your friend gets lots of rest."

"We will. Thank you, doctor," said Kakashi, who was standing behind Sasuke.

"No problem. Good day," the man said, then left.

"Help me get him up," Sasuke said to Kakashi. The white-haired man nodded and moved around to Naruto's other side. Together, they pulled him up by the arms, and held him steady while he got his bearings.

"Okay?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto turned his face into Sasuke's shoulder and let out a few short, shaky breaths. Then he slowly murmured, "Yeah. M'alright. Let's go."

They began to walk out of the institution, Sasuke and Kakashi both helping Naruto. Once they were outside, Kakashi said, "We're not taking him to the hospital."

"I know," Sasuke agreed. "No time. And we can treat him better, anyway."

"I'm right here," Naruto grumbled.

"Do you disagree?" Sasuke asked.

"No, but it's the principle of the matter," Naruto whined.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Okay then, it's settled. Let's get _him_ home."

Naruto swatted at him, then hissed a little in pain. "Sounds good..."

They walked the short distance to Kakashi's old cottage, and once they got there, Naruto collapsed onto the couch and was asleep within moments.

"We'll fix him up later," Kakashi said, smiling a little. He sat on the other couch, across from Naruto, and motioned for Sasuke to sit next to him.

"So, why did you freeze up in there?" Kakashi asked once the other man was beside him.

"Hn. You get right to the point," Sasuke commented dryly. "He mentioned my brother, that's why."

Kakashi went still. "What?"

"Itachi. He's my brother, and one of the leaders of a gang called the Akatsuki."

Kakashi's eyes flared, and he stood, looking murderous. "You're in on this? You and your brother having some– some family bonding or something?"

Sasuke didn't stand, but when he replied, his deadly calm voice was enough to communicate his anger. "Don't you _ever_ insinuate that I have had _anything _to do with that man. He may be my brother biologically, but I've been trying to kill him for the past ten years."

"And why is that?" the other man snapped impatiently.

"Because he murdered my parents."

Kakashi exhaled, all of the tension leaving his shoulders, and sat back down. He was silent for a long moment, before saying sincerely, "I apologize. I'm just... on edge right now."

"I understand," Sasuke said, and he truly did. His temper had never been so inflammable than in the days when Naruto was gone and no one knew how to find him.

"Did you recognize the other name?" Kakashi asked. "Pain, I think it was?"

"Yes. Itachi mentioned him, the last time we saw each other," Sasuke said. "I believe he's the other leader of Akatsuki."

"When did you last see Itachi?"

"A few weeks before Naruto was taken."

"Why didn't you kill him, like you said you wanted to?" Kakashi asked, suspiciousness starting to seep into his tone again.

"You think I didn't try?" Sasuke asked, eyes narrowing. "He's...he's a worthy opponent, as much as I hate to admit it. I failed to complete the task."

"Hn," Kakashi grunted.

For a few minutes, they didn't speak. Then, suddenly, Sasuke's eyes widened in realization. He turned to the other man and said slowly but firmly, "Kakashi...I think I know where they took Iruka."


	8. All Together Again

**AN:** Yay for broken jaws! I got this one out way faster than usual haha. So the angst is finally lessening-- yay for happiness in the chappy! I won't give away too much, but I have a feeling all of you will be very pleased :D

**Warnings: **Violence, cursing.

**Pairings: **Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Lee/Saku (might pop up at some point, who knows)

**Disclaimer:** Not mine~!

-----------------------------

"Where?" Kakashi asked, standing again, voice bordering upon frantic. "Where is he? Tell me!"

"Calm down. We won't be able to rescue him by panicking," Sasuke pointed out, his tone stern. Kakashi took a breath and sat down again.

"Alright. Where do you think he is?" he asked, only slightly calmer.

Sasuke's lips thinned in thought; he looked as if he was turning his idea over and inspecting it in his mind. When he spoke, his voice was speculative. "When Itachi and I fought, we were in Konoha. On top of the mountain."

"Yeah, and?" Kakashi asked impatiently.

"I'm getting to it," Sasuke snapped. "And Itachi...he said something peculiar that I didn't think much of at the time, but now it's starting to make sense. He was staring at one of the governor's carvings and he said, 'One day, you'll learn how to look past the outer appearance of things. The hardest exteriors can hide the most secrets."

"So...?" the other man asked, confused. "What does that have to do with Iruka?"

Sasuke turned to face him, eyes intense and serious. "I believe they've got him hidden somewhere within the rock formation."

"You _what?_"

"Think about it," Sasuke urged, standing up and beginning to pace. "'The hardest exteriors can hide the most secrets.' We were standing on top of _rocks_, and he was staring right at them when he said it. And the Akatsuki– they're an incredibly secretive gang. The police have never been able to catch even one of their members, nor have they found a single one of their locations. It all fits."

"I think it's a shot in the dark," Kakashi said doubtfully.

"You got any better ideas?" Sasuke asked sharply.

"Good point," the other man conceded.

"Then we leave tonight."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Sasuke? Where're you going?" came Naruto's bleary voice from the couch.

"Nowhere, dobe. Go back to sleep," Sasuke whispered as he moved towards the door, Kakashi in tow.

"No, wait," Naruto said, sounding suddenly alert. "What's going on? Where are you guys going?"

"We'll be back soon. Don't worry about it," Kakashi said. Naruto heard the doorknob being twisted. He scrambled up from the couch and grabbed Sasuke's arm before he could push the door open.

"You're not leaving me here alone," he growled dangerously.

"You'll only be a hindrance, Naruto," Sasuke said sharply, impatience and lack of sleep making his temper go haywire. "You're hurt. You won't be of any help to us– you'll only slow us down."

Naruto's nostrils flared in anger. "No I won't. I've fought when I was much more injured than this. I want to come."

"I don't care," Sasuke said bluntly. "You're staying here."

"Fuck you, Uchiha!" Naruto shouted. "I need to–

"Shut up and listen to him!" Kakashi roared. Naruto quieted at his tone, surprised at the uncharacteristic volume. "We're leaving, without you. That's all there is to it."

"Fine," Naruto bit out. "Take care of yourselves."

Sasuke leaned over and gave him a hard kiss on the mouth. "You too."

With that, the two men left, leaving Naruto alone in the house. "Fuck," he cursed, rubbing ruefully at his sore stomach.

He spent about two minutes pacing before he muttered, "Screw it. I'm going after them."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"So, what's your plan?" Kakashi asked as they neared the formation.

"I'm not sure yet," Sasuke admitted. "Perhaps we should go to where Itachi and I fought."

"Do you remember where that was?" Kakashi wondered doubtfully. "It all looks kind of the same up there."

"I've got a good memory," Sasuke said, but it wasn't arrogant. It was a fact.

Kakashi nodded and the two men walked the rest of the way in silence. When they reached the mountain, they glanced to one another, gazes equally determined, and began to slowly make their way up.

It was several hours later when Sasuke finally stopped at a relatively nondescript area. The rocks jutted out around them like ragged jaws, and the rich red tones from the setting sun cast amber shadows over each tooth. If the situation had been different, Kakashi might have been able to appreciate it.

"This is it," Sasuke said, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"Hn," Kakashi grunted. He ran his hands over the edges of the rocks, almost expecting to find a secret button or lever. "Where was Itachi standing when he said it?"

Sasuke moved over to Kakashi's right, his eyes dark with some sharp emotion. "Right here."

Kakashi went and stood next to him, gazing at the area, dwindling hope making his fists clench in frustration. "Nothing's happening," he said impatiently.

Sasuke ignored him, eyes suddenly fixed to a certain spot in the stone.

"Sasuke? What is it?" Kakashi asked, noticing the subtle change.

The dark-haired man didn't answer. He reached a hand out, feeling around, pushing his fingers into random, dusty spots. His lips pressed together in concentration. Then, suddenly he banged his fist sharply onto one particular area, and it collapsed neatly into puffs of dirt, leaving a dark, gaping hole in its wake. He looked back at Kakashi, eyebrows raised in triumph.

"Lucky guess," Kakashi muttered disbelievingly, before motioning for the other man to go in. He followed him on his tiptoes, and felt the oppressive, moist darkness fall upon him as they slipped inside the cave.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"We were told you made Leader mad," said one of Zetsu's familiar voices as his fingers wove through Iruka's tangled, matted hair.

"Yeah," Iruka said, giving a morbid, bloody smile. "I spit on him."

There was a certain note of pride in his voice, and Zetsu must have caught it, because his fingers suddenly tightened in his hair and pulled upwards sharply.

"You _what_?" the higher voice asked, as if Iruka had committed the most heinous crime. "You apologized, yes?"

"Of course not," Iruka scoffed. "He deserved it."

Hands came around his throat, then, tight and merciless. "Take it back," both voices whispered together, desperately.

Iruka coughed and sputtered. "No," he wheezed. "Never."

One hand left to smack him hard across the cheek, causing his head to snap to the side and blood to spew out his lips. Then that hand was back on his neck, squeezing with the other until his vision tunneled in.

"You _will_ apologize," the low voice demanded, dark with rage.

Iruka's nostrils flared as he struggled to suck in air. "I won't," he hissed stubbornly.

"You've got so much fight in you," the higher voice observed, sounding almost fascinated. His fingers loosened just slightly as he moved closer to Iruka, who felt the hot breath against his cheek and nearly retched. "I quite like that..."

Iruka shuddered, tried to move away from the face so close to his own. He felt the fingers loosen further, and felt brief, wonderful relief, but then the wet, rough tip of a tongue was sliding sickeningly slow up his jaw to his ear, relishing in licking away the blood and grime, and his stomach churned with nausea. "Don't," he whispered, voice bordering upon pleading. "Please. Just, just don't."

Teeth nipped at his neck, then his collarbone, and then they _bit_, sunk down deep, right into his shoulder and he screamed, loudly, brokenly, it hurt _so much_. He heard laughing from the other voice, low, deep, horrible laughter–

– but then the voice was suddenly choked off, and then there was a loud thump– the sound of a body hitting the floor. Then hands were on him, gentle, gentle hands, and they ran over his hair, his face; they pulled at the blindfold until the fabric fell away and there, in blinding white-haired glory, was his beautiful, smirking lover, staring at him with love and concern and _oh._

"Kakashi," he breathed, and suddenly hot, wet tears were in his eyes and flooding down his cheeks, and his face was pressed against that smooth, hard chest, and there were hands in his hair and strong arms around his body and everything was going to be _alright_.

"I've got you," Kakashi said, voice low with worry. His lover was _hurt_. Badly. He turned to Sasuke, whose eyes were narrowed in impatience.

"We have to go," the dark-haired man said urgently. "We don't have much time before they realize."

"Alright," Kakashi agreed. He wound an arm around Iruka's waist and shifted him upwards, easily propping him up against his own shoulder before whispering, "It's okay, we're getting you out of here." Then he turned to Sasuke and said, "Lead the way, Uchiha."

Sasuke turned and made for the small opening they'd come from, getting halfway across the room before the sound of cold, mirthless laughter filled the air.

"What's this? Finally learned how to use your brain, little brother?" asked a deep, amused voice.

Sasuke spun, the words "Fuck off, Itachi" on his lips when he caught sight of the blonde struggling within his brother's strong hold. "Naruto!"

"Sasuke," Naruto gasped, pulling at the arm wound around his neck.

"Let him go," Sasuke growled, stepping towards the other man. He glanced to Kakashi. "Get Iruka out of here. I've got it."

Kakashi nodded and headed towards the pitch-black opening, Iruka held protectively against him.

Itachi watched them leave disinterestedly, fingers of one hand idly petting the hair on Naruto's head. The blonde snarled and bit at the arm around his neck, and the action was rewarded with a sharp jab to his side.

"Don't touch him," Sasuke warned, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a knife.

Itachi smirked, looking even more amused. "Oh, I'm so--

Sasuke chucked the weapon right at his brother's thigh, surprising him slightly-- but his brother easily caught the handle and threw it back, movements so fast they were nearly imperceptible. Sasuke, prepared for this, ducked and shot out a leg, succeeding in hitting his brother's knee and making it buckle. Naruto took the opportunity to fling an elbow into Itachi's stomach, but the other merely grunted and wrestled him tighter into his grip.

"Let me go, bastard!" the blonde yelled, throwing his arm back again, only to have it caught in Itachi's iron grip. His breath caught, and he was suddenly afraid.

"Don't _move_ or I'll break it in half," the elder Uchiha promised lowly.

Naruto went utterly still, knowing by the tone of the other man's voice that he was telling the truth and that he'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Get off him," Sasuke bit out. "Your fight is with _me_, Itachi."

Itachi's fingers loosened and moved in a soothing fashion up Naruto's arm, making the blonde shudder in revulsion. "Perhaps it is," he said noncommittally. His lips twisted in a cruel, slightly manic smile. "But it's so entertaining to see you squirm this way."

Sasuke's eyes flared angrily. "Don't fuck with me. Just let him go and–

His sentence was cut off as he was hit sharply in the back of the head with the hilt of a knife. He crumpled, and Naruto shouted out a choked, "Sasuke!"

"What is all this, Itachi?" came the cold, calm voice of Pain, who stood stoic and pale-faced behind Sasuke's fallen body.

"Nothing, Pain. Just a small altercation," Itachi said in an oddly respectful voice as he tightened his hold on the writhing blonde in his arms. "We've got the blonde, though, so all is as planned."

Pain nodded approvingly just as Sasuke blearily opened his eyes and tried to stand. Itachi kicked out a leg and nailed him in the stomach, sending him down again.

"Stop hurting him!" Naruto begged, frantically kicking, biting, and scratching at any inch of skin he could find on Itachi's body. "You fuckers better not touch him!"

Pain smirked, but his face still looked like stone. "I see you've still got that fire." He glanced down at Sasuke, and his expression morphed into cold anger. He lifted a foot and pressed it down sharply upon the dark-haired man's chest. "Naruto, your friend keeps getting in the way of my plans. I'm afraid I may have to–"

"Don't!" Naruto yelled. "Don't touch him!"

Pain glanced up at him, and there was something dark and glittering in his eyes, a pure, morbid enjoyment over the fact that he had the power to destroy the human life quivering underneath his foot. He smiled cruelly, relishing in it. "Oh but it would be so easy, so convenient to just..." he trailed off, pressed down harder on Sasuke's chest, making the other grunt in pain.

Naruto bared his teeth, feeling his emotions begin to spiral out of control. "Stop it..."

Pain's foot moved so that it was on Sasuke's throat, pressed a little harder. Sasuke's choked gasp seemed to echo inside Naruto's head.

"I said _stop it_..."

Itachi kicked him harshly in the side again, and then, suddenly, there was a white hot anger exploding within Naruto, burning and red and licking at his veins in rabid, hungry flames. A voice that didn't belong to him growled, "I said _don't touch him_", and then his limbs were moving, energized and alive in a way they'd never been before, and after that all was a blur of rage.

Naruto knew no more.

HURTCOPEHEAL

_Two days later...._

"He's waking up, Mr. Uchiha."

"Thank you, sir."

Sasuke followed the tall doctor into the room and saw his stupid idiot lying there in the now familiar hospital bed, propped up and wearing a bright, sunny smile.

"Hey, teme," Naruto greeted happily, patting the bed beside him. "How's your head?"

"It'd be better if you wouldn't talk so loud, dobe," Sasuke quipped, but his tone was off. He sat down next to the blonde and gazed at him speculatively. "What do you remember?"

Naruto fingered the sheets beneath his fingertips, sensing the serious mood. "Not much," he said. "They told me you had a concussion right when I woke up, and that I was probably experiencing symptoms of shock– dizziness, fatigue,... loss of memory."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted noncommittally. "Perhaps."

"What happened?" Naruto asked, apprehension in his voice. Sasuke put a hand on his thigh, half comfort, half warning to be patient.

"We'll talk about it once we're all out of here," he promised. His voice dropped darkly. "Believe me, we'll be talking about everything that happened that _wasn't supposed to_."

"Heh... why do I get the feeling I did something wrong?"

"You really don't remember?" Sasuke asked suspiciously, eyebrow raised.

Naruto looked away, gazing out the window with a thoughtful look on his face. "I...I remember being somewhere dark, and feeling this really intense anger... but outside of that, no, I honestly don't."

"Well, we'll have to fill you in, then," Sasuke promised. "Once all of us are out of here, anyway."

"Wait, all of us?" Naruto asked, looking confused. "Who else is here?"

"We rescued Iruka, you idiot," Sasuke reminded him, exasperated.

"What!? We did!? Let me see him!"

HURTCOPEHEAL

"IRUKA!" Naruto shouted excitedly, beaming as he ran like a maniac through the hospital corridor in his open-backed gown. "I'M GONNA SEE IRUKA! BELIEVE IT!"

Sasuke walked calmly in his wake, hands in his pockets and a bored expression on his face. The doctor walked next to him, smiling ruefully.

"Is he always like this?"

"Yes," Sasuke deadpanned.

In this fashion, the group made their way to Iruka's hospital room.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Kakashi ran his hand over his face for at least the millionth time since he'd been sitting in the chair next to Iruka's bed. He supposed he kept doing it because it was a way to shield his eyes from his lover's injuries for just a few seconds; it was getting hard to look at the other man without getting so angry he could barely breathe. He had never wanted to literally kill someone so desperately as when he'd seen the man with the two-toned face licking up Iruka's jaw like he was some plaything...

His fists clenched in rage and he bit his lip harshly to keep from screaming out in rage. Just then, he felt a feather-light touch on the knuckles of his left hand. He looked up to see warm brown eyes peeking up at him.

"Hey," Iruka rasped, a small smile playing on his bruised, chapped lips.

"Hey," Kakashi replied, unable to disguise the pure relief in his voice. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been trampled by my entire student body," Iruka joked lightly.

"As if those little brats would dare to hurt their precious Mr. Umino," the white-haired man teased.

Iruka chuckled softly, but then his expression turned pained. "Ah, ow..."

"You alright?" Kakashi asked worriedly. "Do you want me to get the doctor?"

Iruka waved it off weakly, then settled his hand back on Kakashi's knuckles, fingers idly ghosting over the skin. "No, no. M'fine. Stay with me."

Kakashi nodded and turned his hand so that their fingers threaded together. "If you say– "

"IRUKA!" shouted a loud, bubbly voice, just as its blonde-haired owner burst through the door, beaming as if someone had just given him a palace made of Ramen noodles.

"Hello, Naruto," Iruka greeted, smiling as much as his bruised face would allow.

"Hey, brat," Kakashi sighed.

Naruto bounced up and down, obviously wanting to launch himself at Iruka, but not wanting to hurt him. "Can I– can I hug you? If I'm careful?" he asked, suddenly sounding like a small child.

"Of course," Iruka said warmly. The blonde walked around to the side of the bed opposite of Kakashi and put his arms cautiously around the brunette's shoulders. Iruka turned his head into the other's neck, unable to embrace him back but wanting to show his affection all the same. When Iruka felt the other man begin to tremble slightly, he gently reassured, "I'm alright, Naruto. Just a little banged up. It's okay."

The blonde squeezed for a moment, then pulled back, eyes suspiciously wet, and gave him a tremulous smile. "I know. I'm just... I'm glad you're back."

"We all are," said a low voice from behind Naruto. It was Sasuke, standing there slouching and familiar, gaze uncharacteristically soft as he offered Iruka a nod in greeting. Iruka smiled at him, then took a moment to glance around; the sight of Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi all together at his bedside made him feel, for the first time in what felt like years, completely at ease.

All was right again.

-----------------

**AN:** No, it's not over! There's still a lot more to come. This is the calm before the storm, muahaha! Lol. Review please! Much love!


	9. Getting Back to Normal

**AN:** Thanks to all the reviewers! I hope everyone's glad that our Iruka is finally safe and sound (for now. lol) This chappy is kind of a filler, but it has some nice interaction between the boys, and also the entrance of the ever-wonderful pair, Sakura and Lee. Hope you like! And sorry if anyone's offended by Sakura's character-- that's just how I see her. She might change as the story goes on, but until she's kicked off her pedestal, she's gonna be a real bitch. :D

**Warnings:** Intimate situations, cursing.

**Pairings: **Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Lee/Saku

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't minee.

----------------------

"You shouldn't have followed us, damnit!" Sasuke shouted for the third time, exasperated and ready to hit the blonde idiot standing across from him.

"Well you shouldn't have left me behind!" Naruto yelled right back. "I was fine; I didn't need to be treated like some little kid! I could've helped!"

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose and willed himself to calm down. After a moment, he began to speak, his voice effortlessly cool and devoid of any emotion. "Look, I assessed the situation, and told you not to come because I believed you were too injured to be of any assistance. You doubted my evaluation and made the irrational, idiotic decision to come after us. You needlessly risked your life because you were too proud to let someone else handle things. You– "

"I risked my life because I wanted to help, not because of pride!" Naruto angrily cut him off, stung by his words.

Sasuke shrugged. "You're not stupid, Naruto. You must've known just how much help you were going to be in the state you were in."

"I was barely even injured!" Naruto roared, suddenly enraged. "He got in a couple of good punches, so what!? It's not like I haven't dealt with worse! Have you forgotten that last year I ran four miles in a blizzard with more broken bones and bruises than I could count? Huh? Have you?" He was shouting in Sasuke's face now, eyes blazing and fists just barely held at his side. He could feel the anger burning through his veins, that same rabid fire he'd felt just days before frothing up again; it was transforming his limbs, making him feel powerful and alive...

"Naruto, calm down!" Sasuke demanded, watching his lover curl in on himself, growling like an animal. _Shit, it's happening again. _He reached out and touched the blonde's shoulder. Naruto snapped upwards, his expression furious and inhuman, his eyes bloodshot and...red? Sasuke staggered backwards in surprise and perhaps the slightest bit of fear.

There was a long, tense moment where the two of them stared at each other, one gaze wild and furious, the other carefully blank. Then something seemed to break; the blonde's eyes cleared, newly blue, and when he looked at his lover he had a lost, terrified expression on his face.

"Sas–Sasuke," he whispered, putting his shaking hands over his face. "Sasuke, what's happening to me?"

Sasuke slowly approached the other man and cautiously pulled him to his chest, still a little bit frightened himself. He'd never heard of something like this happening. "I don't know, Naruto. We'll figure it out, alright?"

Naruto nodded into his lover's neck, immediately reassured by his strength and confidence. They rocked back and forth together like that for a few long minutes, Sasuke's hands drifting over Naruto's back in light, soothing circles, the blonde's arms simply hanging limp by his sides, too exhausted to do much else.

"Why don't you go get some rest?" the dark-haired man suggested against Naruto's temple after a while, lips brushing against the tangled blonde tendrils. "We can talk about this later."

"Mm, but it's comfortable here," the blonde responded, nuzzling the other's neck.

Sasuke shifted and muttered, "You're tickling me, asshole."

"I know," the blonde replied in a singsong voice. "You just don't want to admit you like it..." He pulled back, nosing the other's chin and jaw, then kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. "Think what you like."

Naruto licked along the other's bottom lip, murmured lowly, "I will, thanks..."

Sasuke slipped his hands under the blonde's shirt and stroked up and down the hot skin.

"Mm," Naruto hummed at the contact, arching into him and reaching his hands up to thread into the black hair.

Sasuke slid his hands down until they were gripping Naruto's hips, then pushed the other man until his back hit the nearest wall. Naruto growled in approval and pressed his lower body into the other man's, grinding roughly against him. Sasuke smirked and ducked his head underneath the other's chin to nip and lick at the long expanse of neck, making Naruto gasp in pleasure. The blonde sucked in a sharp breath as his lover hit that certain spot right below his ear, that place that made his knees buckle and his hairs stand up on end...

"Ah..." Naruto hissed, fingers tightening on the back of Sasuke's neck. "Feels nice, teme..."

Sasuke's smirk widened in smugness, and he let his fingers slide up the other's ribcage, slowly bringing the orange t-shirt up and over the blonde head. Once his lover's chest was exposed, the dark-haired man kissed down his abdomen, feeling the muscles quiver against his lips. Naruto's fingers stroked through Sasuke's dark hair, kneading and pulling, his head falling back against the wall as the dark head slid further and further down his stomach.

When Sasuke got all the way down to the top of Naruto's pants, he licked a neat trail along the waistline, eliciting a sharp, aroused gasp from the blonde.

"Tease," Naruto breathlessly accused.

"Perhaps," Sasuke mouthed against his navel. Then, throwing Naruto's previous words back in his face, he murmured, "You just don't want to admit that you like it..."

Naruto shivered. _Oh, Sasuke can be so _sexy _sometimes..._

"You think so?" Sasuke asked smugly, glancing up at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Shit, did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, dobe," Sasuke sniggered before going back to Naruto's warm, tanned skin.

"Oh, how am I ever going to get your ego back under control?" the blonde breathed, fingers moving to grip the back of Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke kissed the skin just above the button of Naruto's pants, then slid his hands around to unfasten them. "I'm sure you'll–

"Hey, Sasuke! Naruto! It's Lee and Sakura, let us in!"

Naruto slammed his head against the wall, completely frustrated. "Damnit, you've got to be kidding me..."

Sasuke stood, looking equally agitated, and threw Naruto his shirt before walking over to the door, straightening out his mussed clothes as he went.

"Come on, gentlemen! I wish to see your youthful faces!"

"Oh, God," Naruto muttered, running a hand over his flushed face. He ruefully pulled his shirt over his head and went to join Sasuke at the door, who gave him a sly wink and a mouthed "later, dobe" before opening it. Naruto nearly flicked him off; now he was all aroused again, in front of Lee and Sakura, no less.

Not like Sakura noticed anyone but Sasuke, anyway. The pink-haired woman launched herself at his lover, wrapping her arms around him in an iron grip and squeezing for all she was worth. Naruto scowled and looked away, meeting Lee's eyes and sharing a frustrated moment.

"Sakura, you're suffocating me," Sasuke coughed, pulling half-heartedly at the leech-like limbs around his neck.

"Oh, I was so worried about you!" she wailed, refusing to budge.

"Me?" Sasuke reiterated, confused. "It was Iruka who was–

"I know, but you poor thing, it must've been so hard to have been in Japan while this all was happening– and then to have to come back right in the middle of it, just because Naruto was too stupid to–

"Hey," Sasuke loudly cut her off, pushing her roughly away from him. "Don't."

"Why not?" she asked angrily, glancing at Naruto with a slight bit of disgust on her face. "Maybe if the dumbass had paid more attention, none of this would've–

"Enough," Sasuke demanded, voice frigid in anger. He looked over to his lover, saw the shame and guilt radiating off of him, and wanted to hit the stupid woman in front of him. He turned to Lee, saw that the man's eyes were widened in surprise and perhaps a little embarrassment, and said coolly, "Lee, perhaps the two of you should leave."

"Nonsense," Sakura scoffed. "I'm not leaving just because I'm saying what everyone else is too afraid to."

"Dear," Lee said disarmingly, reaching out to lightly touch her arm, "Perhaps Sasuke is right. I'm sure Naruto is already feeling enough emotions as it is, considering how close he is with Iruka. Why don't we come back another time, when you're feeling less, ah..."

"Pissed?" Sakura suggested loudly. She turned to Naruto, face fixed in angry determination. She stomped over to him and looked him right in the eyes, before saying rather coldly, "You're a useless idiot. Sasuke deserves better." Then she pivoted, hair swishing, and stormed out of the apartment.

There was an awkward silence before Lee nervously stuttered, "Heh...sorry, gentlemen. I expected our reunion to be much more joyous– but, sadly, it appears my love is not feeling well, so, uh, I suppose I'd better go. I'll see you!"

With that, he ran out the door, leaving Sasuke and Naruto alone once again.

"You alright?" Sasuke asked, eyeing the other man, who was standing there with his head bent and his fists clenched at his sides.

When the blonde didn't answer, Sasuke walked over to him and put two fingers under his chin, forcing the other to look at him. Naruto's blue eyes were wide and glittering, and his full lips trembled. "She's right, you know," he said softly. "You do. Deserve better, I mean."

_Stupid woman_, Sasuke thought, sighing in frustration. "Dobe, shut up," he said firmly. "I'll be the one to decide that."

Naruto bit his bottom lip, fighting to control the burning shame that he still poignantly felt. He swallowed thickly and asked quietly, almost desperately, "D'you...do you think Iruka forgives me?"

"I can't speak for him, Naruto. You know that," Sasuke replied. Then, seeing his lover's face fall slightly, he amended, "But if I had to guess, then I'd say yes, he does."

Naruto nodded stiffly, looking away from his lover, unable to meet the penetrating black gaze any longer. Sasuke grabbed his chin again and pulled him back to give him a hard kiss.

"Stop thinking about it so much," he said sternly. "It happened, it's over, and now we all have to move on. Okay?"

Naruto closed his eyes, tried to let the words wash over him, tried to _accept_ them, but it was no use. He looked back up at his lover, though, saw the frustration in those eyes, the impatience– and put on the sunniest smile he could manage.

"Yeah, you're right," he said brightly. "Sakura was just being her usual bitchy self. No use dwelling over it. Anyway, I'm gonna– ouch, Sasuke!"

The other man had grabbed his upper arm tight and wrenched him back before he could walk away. "_Don't_ you give me that fake shit, Naruto," he growled. "I see right through it."

"Wha–what do you mean?" Naruto stuttered innocently, trying to pry the man's fingers off.

"You know what I'm talking about," Sasuke snapped. "Don't act like you're okay when I know you're not. You don't have to try and impress me, Naruto."

"I'm not," Naruto insisted hotly. Then he sighed and went limp in Sasuke's grip. After a moment of debating with himself, he admitted softly, "Alright, so maybe I don't like you seeing me all weak and vulnerable. But that's not because I'm trying to impress you, it's because..." he huffed, shook his head as if he knew what he was about to say was stupid, then forged on, "it's because I just want you to be proud of me. And I want you to respect me. That's all."

There was a silence after his confession, but it wasn't strained. It was as if a sort of understanding had passed between them; a barrier had been broken.

Sasuke did something unexpected, then. He leaned in close, till their foreheads were pressed together and their eyes were locked in an intense stare, and said slowly, firmly, "I _am _proud of you. I respect you more than anyone else." His voice lowered, mere breaths now against Naruto's lips, and he whispered, "You're my equal, and I love you."

Naruto exhaled, breathing out all of the swirling, built up emotions inside of him, and let his body relax for the first time in days.

"I love you too, teme."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"How're you feeling?" Kakashi asked his lover as he made his way to the hospital bed.

"Not good," Iruka snapped. "And I just want to sleep."

Kakashi put his hands up in mock surrender. "Sheesh, okay. I can take a hint; I'll come by later."

"No, no, wait," Iruka sighed, rubbing at his face with the hand of his non-broken arm. "I'm sorry. I'm just not having a great day."

"That's alright," the white-haired man said with a shrug. "I've dealt with your wrath in much larger doses than that."

"Yes, because that makes me feel so much better," Iruka retorted, rolling his eyes. He softly patted the bed beside him and murmured, "Come here."

"What am I, a dog?" Kakashi joked, but he headed towards the spot nonetheless.

"I don't see you complaining," Iruka said smugly as Kakashi settled down next to him. Iruka scooted over till his body was touching Kakashi's, then reached up to grasp at the other's neck and pull him down for a kiss. His lover carefully laid his lips on top of his own, trying not to bother his various facial bruises.

Iruka pulled back, looking amused, and said lightly, "Relax, I'm not going to break." Kakashi captured his lips and kissed him deeper, then, moving his hands up to rest on Iruka's jaw. The brunet paused and tensed; those fingers were way too close to his neck. Kakashi didn't seem to notice, though, and he slowly moved them down so that they were cupping the tanned column of skin, calloused fingers stroking there lightly.

At the ordinarily nice sensation, Iruka felt a deep, clawing panic, remembering the last time hands had been on his neck, but he couldn't seem to get his limbs to work and push the other man away.

"Kakashi," he gasped, "Kakashi–

"Mm," the other man hummed, murmuring against his mouth, "I know, I missed you too..."

"N-no, 'Kashi," he practically begged, breathing becoming erratic.

Kakashi noticed the oddly desperate note to his voice and pulled back, eyes questioning.

"What's wrong?" he asked, eyes roving over the thinly veiled panic in the other's expression.

"Hands. Neck. Off," Iruka managed.

"Oh. Oh!" Kakashi practically yelped, pulling his hands off of the other man. "Shit, I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

Iruka closed his eyes and breathed in deep for a few long moments. He felt for Kakashi's fingers and squeezed them, wanting him to know that he wasn't mad, just flustered. After a minute, he said gently, "I'm okay. There's just gonna have to be some new...rules with us. For a little while, anyway. Number one being: do _not_ get anywhere _near_ my neck."

"I deduced that one, yes," Kakashi dryly agreed. They were silent as Iruka began to calm, his breathing slowly becoming regular again. Kakashi waited for Iruka to settle completely before asking slowly, "Is there anything else you can think of that might upset you?"

"No biting," Iruka said immediately, body shuddering at the mere words.

Kakashi ran a soothing hand up his arm and reassured him, "That's fine. I can do that." He couldn't resist teasing, "Although you are quite tast–

"Don't," Iruka loudly cut him off, yanking his arm away. He turned his head and clenched his eyes shut, then bluntly said, "Just, just leave, please. I want to be alone."

"Fuck, I'm sorry," Kakashi said, bewildered and chagrined. He hadn't expected nor desired his words to have this effect. He waited for Iruka to turn and smile apologetically at him, or to give any response at all, but the seconds ticked away and nothing happened. Finally, Kakashi stood stiffly and said, "I guess I'll be back later, then."

Iruka didn't answer.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Yo, brat," Kakashi greeted Naruto. "Where's Sasuke?"

"Nice to see you too," the blonde sarcastically replied. "He's in his office working, as per usual. I warn you, he probably won't want to see ya."

"Nonsense," Kakashi scoffed. "He'll let me in. He likes me more than you, after all."

Naruto swiped at him as he walked through the door, then closed it and followed the other man to Sasuke's "don't-come-in-or-I'll-kill-you" room.

"Good luck," he said. "You're gonna need it."

Kakashi grunted and knocked on the door.

"Damnit, Naruto, I told you I had work to do!" came Sasuke's frustrated monotone.

Naruto colored, looking sheepish, and muttered, "I warned you 'cause I knew from experience."

"Like I said, he likes me better," Kakashi insisted, turning towards the door and saying, "It's not Naruto. It's _Kakashi._"

Naruto raised a dubious eyebrow, watching the door for any signs of life.

"Yup," Naruto said after a minute, "He definitely–

"_What_ do you want?" Sasuke growled, opening the door to glare at them both. "I've got three cases to work on and my boss has been on my ass since I left in the middle of the trip. I need to get this done."

Naruto's insides clenched in guilt, and his throat suddenly felt like sandpaper. "It wasn't my idea to disturb you," he said weakly. "Kakashi wanted to see you."

Sasuke turned his glare to Kakashi and said, "Another time."

Kakashi glared right back and said stubbornly, "No. You can take a break for five minutes."

Sasuke's fist slammed into the wall, not surprising either of the two men in front of him, and he growled, "I _said_ another time. That means: leave me the fuck alone." He slammed the door shut.

Kakashi scratched his head and said, "Well, maybe you were right."

Naruto snorted, but his heart wasn't in it. The guilt was still gnawing away at him. "Told ya," he said lightly.

The two of them walked to the living room and sat on the couches. Once they were comfortable, Naruto asked, "Why'd you want to see him, anyway?"

Kakashi seemed to mull over the answer, turning the words over in his mind before saying vaguely, "I needed to talk to him about Iruka."

Naruto propped his head on his hand and stared speculatively at the other man. "What about him?"

"Curious little bugger, aren't you," Kakashi commented idly. He sighed, rubbed the bridge of his nose, then said, "Well, maybe you can help. I figured Sasuke would be the better person to go to, since he was in my position a year ago."

Naruto tensed, not liking where this conversation was going. "Oh?" he managed.

"Yeah, but if you're willing to hear about it, maybe you'd have some unforeseen insight," the white-haired man said dubiously, sarcasm thick in the last two words.

"Y-yeah, okay. I'll try," the blonde replied, sounding somewhat stronger than he felt. "Go for it."

Kakashi nodded and began to relate to him what had happened with his lover in the hospital. Naruto listened intently, remembering how for weeks after the incident he'd had the same reactions to being intimate with Sasuke. When the other man was finished, looking frustrated but hopeful, Naruto took a long minute to piece his words together in his head.

"Well," he said slowly. "He acted that way because you triggered him."

"Triggered him? What the hell does that–

"It means," Naruto gently cut him off, "that you put him back with them. In his mind, anyway." The blonde paused, trying to think of a way to explain it that would make sense. "Okay, let me give you an example. A week after I came back, Sasuke snuck up behind me to give me a hug– but the sound of his footsteps triggered me, and when he got close enough, I swung around and I punched him in the face."

Kakashi snickered, "You did not."

"I did," Naruto insisted, smiling a little. Then he sobered and explained, "It just... it felt like all of a sudden I was back in that room, and they were walking up behind me, about to...to hit me, or..." he trailed off, shook himself. "You get what I mean."

"Yeah, I think I understand," Kakashi said gently, all at once realizing just how much the man in front of him had gone through.

"Good," Naruto said, smiling genuinely.

They shared a comfortable silence, then Kakashi asked, "So how should I go about avoiding triggering him?"

"Hm, good question," Naruto said thoughtfully. "For Sasuke and I, we kind of had to feel our way through it. I didn't know what would trigger me, and neither did he. It was a rough few months."

"Great," Kakashi said sarcastically. "I can't wait."

"Hey, he's the one who got beaten for days, so don't complain," Naruto snapped, surprisingly angry at the flippant comment.

"Woah, tiger," Kakashi said hurriedly, looking startled. Then he let out a big puff of air and hedged, "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that. You're right– he's going through a lot more than I am."

"Sorry I bit your head off like that," Naruto said sheepishly. "Look, you just need to support him; be there for him. Don't get frustrated. Sasuke did that, and it caused major problems with us for a while."

"Bitching about me again, dobe?" Sasuke drawled, walking into the room with a cool expression on his face.

"Eavesdropping again, teme?" Naruto fired back, guilt rapidly transforming into anger; it was a much easier emotion to feel.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, saying over his shoulder as he walked to the kitchen, "It's not eavesdropping when you talk so loud anyone in the nearest mile could hear it."

"Oh, ha ha," Naruto spit out. He waited for Sasuke to come back into the room, glass of water in hand, to say pointedly, "What do you care, anyway? It's not like I'm lying. After a month you _were_ a total bastard."

"Yeah, because I got tired of dealing with your shit," Sasuke said with a shrug, heading back towards his office.

"You're an asshole," Naruto called out, huffing angrily. What had happened to their loving moment earlier? Now he wanted to hit the man.

"I don't know how you do it," Kakashi said, shaking his head in amazement. "He can be a cold son of a bitch."

Naruto shrugged, trying to hide how deeply Sasuke's remark had jabbed him, and said flippantly, "Yeah. Well. You get used to it."

"Now that sounds like the characteristic of a good relationship," Kakashi joked.

Naruto's chuckle was stiff and insincere, and Kakashi immediately felt like an idiot.

"Sorry," he said quickly. There was an awkward silence between them. Kakashi sighed and stood, giving Naruto a pat on the head before saying, "Seems like I can only mess things up today. I'm gonna go see if Iruka wants to talk to me again. Thanks for all your help, kid."

"I'm not_ that_ much younger than you," Naruto grumbled lightheartedly, breaking the serious mood between them. He walked with Kakashi to the door, and stopped the other man before he left to say encouragingly, "Hey, it's gonna be okay with you and Iruka. Trust me. He loves you, and he'll forgive you for being an idiot. He always does."

Kakashi nodded and replied, "Yeah, I know. Sasuke and I are both lucky in that respect."

Naruto offered him a genuine smile, then, and the white-haired man gave him one last reassuring clasp on the shoulder before leaving.

The blonde sighed heavily, glancing over in the direction of Sasuke's office. He hated leaving any tension between them, but he was reluctant to talk to the man when he was this stressed out about work. He debated with himself for a few minutes, then finally decided to steel himself and walk over to the dreaded office door.

"Sasuke?" he called softly, fingers lightly knocking on the wood. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Fuck off, dobe," Sasuke called back furiously, making Naruto stumble back in surprise.

"Jesus, fine," he bit out, turning and walking away from the room as fast as he could, trying to slow his thumping heart and control the rapidly increasing anger swirling inside of him. He made it to the bedroom door before strong arms wrapped around his waist, halting his progress. His whole body tensed in Sasuke's grip, and for a moment he just stood with his eyes clenched shut and his breathing sharp and audible, wanting simultaneously to punch and kiss the man behind him.

"I'm sorry," his lover whispered against his temple, arms tightening around the blonde. Naruto swallowed thickly, nostrils still flaring in anger, and gave a minute nod to indicate that he'd heard the apology. After a long moment, he let out a sigh and slowly turned around, pressing his face into that soft spot in the crook of Sasuke's neck and letting the tension drain out of him.

"It's okay," Naruto finally murmured. "I know you've got a lot on your plate right now."

Sasuke cleared his throat and said in an irritated voice, "Yeah, well, not anymore."

Naruto pulled back, surprised, and said, "Oh? What does that mean?"

"They took me off two of my cases," Sasuke informed him, lingering anger flaring up again. "Said they didn't want someone with commitment issues to have so much responsibility on their shoulders."

"Shit, Sasuke, I'm sorry," Naruto said immediately, feeling awful. "If I hadn't–

"Stop," Sasuke demanded firmly. "It's in the past. There's nothing you can do about it now."

Naruto nodded stiffly and let his gaze drop to the floor.

"Anyway, I shouldn't have snapped at you," Sasuke said, tucking his hands in his pockets. "The fuckers just pissed me off. It's not like I left Japan for no reason."

"I understand," Naruto said, smiling a little. He stepped closer to the other man and trailed his fingers up and under his shirt, gently stroking the muscled skin underneath. Then he pressed his lips against his lover's and whispered softly, "You're just lucky that I'm so forgiving."

"I am," Sasuke agreed, kissing him briefly before pulling away.

Naruto pouted. "What now?"

"I've still got one case, dobe, and it's not gonna do itself," Sasuke said, smirking, and the vibe between them felt all at once back to normal.

"Aw, but–

Just then, the phone rang, interrupting Naruto's whine. Sasuke walked over to the kitchen and picked it up, smirk still lingering on his face. "Hello?"

Naruto watched the other man's face become closed off and blank as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the phone.

After a couple of minutes, Sasuke said flatly, "Thank you for informing me, Dr. Tolman." Then he turned to Naruto, and at his expression, the blonde's stomach dropped to his feet.

"What? What's happened?" Naruto asked nervously, fearfully.

"It's Kisame. He's broken out of the institution."


	10. Mistakes

**AN: **Woohoo, I got a long one for ya today! I'm really proud of this chapter. I feel like it has some shining moments that really tug at the heartstrings (oh, I love my angst..) and I hope you guys like it. If you do, review! If you don't, review! If you have no opinion about it at all, review! Lol, you get the point :D Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Characters not mine.

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Lee/Saku

**Warnings: **Violence, cursing. As per usual.

-----------------------------

"W-w-what?" Naruto stuttered, fear flooding every limb. His knees buckled and he quickly guided himself onto the nearest couch, falling into it bonelessly. "No. No, he can't have."

"Hey," Sasuke said, walking over to him. "Nothing's going to hap–

"You said that last time!" Naruto snapped, temper made short by burning panic.

"Yeah well last time wasn't exactly my fault, now was it," Sasuke pointed out sharply, angry at having his words thrown back at him. "Look, just calm the fuck down. I'm sure they'll catch him."

"How did they let him escape in the first place?" Naruto asked, exasperation making his voice rise to a shout. "It shouldn't have happened!"

"Why are you yelling at _me_, dobe?" Sasuke asked, equally frustrated, crossing his arms over his chest in an obviously defensive move. "It's not like I helped him get out. Or are we back to that stupid paranoia, again?"

"Fuck you, Uchiha," Naruto spat. "You didn't spend five days with a bunch of psychopaths who wanted nothing more than to convince you that your lover betrayed you, so don't start with that shit."

"Oh, yes, woe is you," Sasuke said sarcastically. "Because no one else has gone through anything equally or more traumatizing than _you _have_._"

"I didn't say that, asshole!" Naruto angrily protested. He shook his head, nostrils flaring, and muttered, "Fuck, you're such a bastard. God knows why I love you."

"Well it's not like I asked for that, now did I? You practically threw yourself at me," Sasuke retorted, resorting to low blows now that the adrenalin in the room had risen so high in such a short amount of time.

Naruto stood, anger radiating off of him in waves. "I don't recall you complaining," he growled, voice deadly quiet. "If I remember correctly, you were just too afraid to admit you felt the same way because you didn't want your precious brother Itachi finding out–

His words were suddenly cut off as Sasuke's hands wound around his throat, squeezing horribly tight. Naruto gasped and tried to buck out of his grip, newfound panic seizing his heart viciously; he choked and spluttered, "Sasuke, please, please get off, please–

"Don't you _ever_ mention him again," Sasuke growled, shaking him roughly, digging his fingers into his lover's skin as hard as he could.

"I-I won't, I won't, _please_," Naruto begged, tears springing to his eyes as his vision blurred; he felt himself going back to the room, the chair with his hands tied behind him, the swollen eyes and the silky fingers wrapped around his neck, the pain, pain, _PAIN–_

Then the pressure on his throat abruptly eased, and he dropped to the floor like a broken ragdoll, heaving for air and choking on sobs. He didn't hear Sasuke leave; for a long time he heard nothing but the sound of his own loud, jagged cries.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Sasuke stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the walls, rage eating him up like a poisonous acid. The mention of his brother had set his blood alight with a burning, vicious urge to _hurt_; he balled a fist and punched the wall across from their apartment so hard it cracked and flayed; then he punched it again and again until there was a gaping, ragged hole there and his knuckles were bleeding scarlet trails down his wrists.

He stood back, eyeing his work, his breathing harsh and audible as he finally felt his temper begin to settle down, the anger retreating dutifully back into its cage and leaving him feeling as if he'd been scraped dry of any emotion whatsoever.

He closed his eyes, felt his control slip back into place, felt like he'd be able to easily forget this loss of composure had ever happened–

And then he remembered his lover.

"Shit," he breathed. His mind cruelly played back the images of wide, wet blue eyes and spluttering, pleading words... he turned back to his apartment and rushed inside, running to the living room where he was greeted with a gut-wrenching sight. Naruto was curled into a ball, shaking horribly, gasping and hiccupping and sobbing like every breath was a fight.

Sasuke ran a bloody hand over his face, feeling worse than he'd ever felt; this kind of guilt, this shame– it was utterly foreign to him; it felt like jagged nails in his chest.

He knelt down next to his lover and reached out a hand to touch his back; at the contact the other man nearly jumped out of his skin, hands going up over his head by reflex and knees curling up to protect his abdomen.

"Fuck, Naruto," Sasuke cursed, the nails driving deeper, "I'm not going to hurt you. It's okay."

He put his hand out again, felt the skin flinch and quiver underneath his fingertips; heard Naruto whimper, "Please, Sasuke, don't"– and realized, with sickening clarity, that Naruto was afraid of _him– _not of the men in his flashbacks, but of _him._

He cursed again, feeling furious with himself for this development, and knew that at that moment he had to do or say _something_ to make this right. For the first time, though, he had absolutely no idea how to proceed.

Unbidden, Naruto's voice came to his mind; a memory from years before, when they'd first met:

"_Sasuke, you're such a by-the-books sort of guy. You've got to learn to go with your gut!"_

Looking at the broken, heaving man in front of him, he decided that, for once, he _had_ to trust his instincts.

He leaned in close to his lover and rested his hand on the thick blonde hair, stroking it softly and trying to ignore the way the other man shrank away from him.

"Naruto," he murmured lowly. "Dobe, look at me. Open your eyes." He let his fingers graze the soft skin of Naruto's eyelids and felt the wetness of tears seep onto his fingertips. _Shit,_ he thought, glancing down to see salty trails sliding over Naruto's reddened, flustered face. He had the bizarre urge to kiss them away, and he let the instinct guide him, pressing his lips against the moist, flushed skin. He felt Naruto tense briefly and then relax, shaking lessening slightly as slowly he began to calm. Sasuke, encouraged, kissed slowly and tenderly up his lover's face, fingers continuously threading through the thick blonde hair in a soothing motion. Then he moved his hand to slip underneath Naruto's head and pulled him up into a sitting position.

That's when the blonde finally opened his eyes.

"Shit, Naruto," Sasuke breathed, seeing the blue so tinged with hurt and lingering fear, seeing the trembling lips and the tears, catching the purple color of bruises already forming on the skin of his neck. The nails dug in sharper than ever, sending words into his throat and out his mouth in a hoarse voice that could barely be made out as, "I'm sorry."

Naruto's gulp was audible, and for a moment all Sasuke could think was that he'd done it– he'd broken them, and it was over.

Then he felt a warm, familiar body against his chest, and he didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around his lover, who pressed his dripping face against the softness of Sasuke's neck and shook anew.

It was a long time before either of them moved.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Iruka? It's me," Kakashi greeted, a little sheepishly. He still felt a bit like a scolded child, so it was hard not to behave like one. "Are you awake?"

The brunet blearily opened his eyes and grumbled, "I am now..."

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to make sure things were okay. But I can go," Kakashi said quickly, turning to leave.

"No, don't," Iruka drawled, lifting a hand to wave him over. "C'mere, you big idiot."

Kakashi smirked and approached the bed, leaning down to kiss the other on the forehead before sitting beside him. "So? Does this mean I'm forgiven?" he asked, eyebrows raised hopefully.

"Mm, I don't know," Iruka teased. He sighed, put a hand on the other's leg. "Yes, of course you are. It wasn't your fault, anyway. You couldn't have known that saying that would..."

"Trigger you?" Kakashi suggested, trying out the new word.

"Yeah, exactly," Iruka said, sounding vaguely impressed. "Anyway, it's like I said. We just have to make some new rules."

Kakashi nodded, smiling a little, feeling eternally grateful that the other man was so understanding. There was a comfortable silence between them and then Kakashi said, "Well, I've got a rule– you have to tell me when you start feeling like that, okay?"

"It's a bit hard when you're such a perv you hardly even notice me protesting," Iruka joked.

"Ouch," Kakashi said lightly, but something was odd in his tone.

"Sorry," Iruka said sheepishly, rubbing his lover's knee in apology. "That was unnecessary."

"It's okay. We're even," Kakashi said, patting the other man's hand before moving it off of his leg and standing up. "Anyway, I'll leave you to get some rest. I'm glad we cleared things up. And Iruka," he paused, felt for the words that he knew he needed to say– damn his pride for making them so hard to get out. "I'll work on being more...aware of you. That's a promise."

"Good," Iruka said, sounding relieved. Then he added slyly, "But don't change too much. The pervy Kakashi is the one I'm in love with, got it?"

Kakashi kissed him and left, a smug smirk lingering on his face all the way out of the hospital.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"I need to go clean up," Naruto rasped against Sasuke's neck. The other nodded and helped him to stand. The blonde stayed in the circle of his arms for another moment, not wanting to leave this gentle, caring version of his lover; but the throbbing bruises on his neck made him remember _his_ Sasuke, and it became easier to pull away. He walked to their bedroom, his legs like jelly, then went into their bathroom and closed and locked the door behind him.

The face in the mirror looked foreign. It was blotchy and red, wet with tears and gaunt-looking. His neck was dotted with blues and purples, and if he looked closely enough, he could just make out the shapes of Sasuke's fingers.

He shuddered and looked away, wanting to forget it had ever happened. He turned on the sink and splashed water on his face, rubbing away the evidence of his tears. When he looked up and caught another glance of the mottled bruises, he suddenly had a powerful, rabid urge to somehow wash them away too; he tore off his clothing, swung the shower curtains open, and turned on the water as hot as it could go. He felt like his skin was crawling; he _had_ to get rid of this feeling; it was eating him alive. He stepped under the spray and barely held in a cry; the water cruelly burnt his skin, sending it rapidly from soft beige to vicious, angry red, and yet it still wasn't enough; he roughly scrubbed at it, fingers scraping over his skin in long, hard swipes, desperate to erase the memories. Then he braced himself and tilted his head back so that the boiling water pounded down directly onto his neck. The pain was unbearable, and he grit his teeth to fight the instinctive urge to move away from the scorching cascade.

Finally, after several minutes, the pain became too much, and he turned around and shut off the water. The cool air hit him like a pile of bricks; it shocked his steaming skin and made him start to shiver uncontrollably, a symptom of cold even though he felt like he was burning. His head felt too heavy and it throbbed with heat; his red skin radiated warmth.

He stumbled out of the shower, feeling weak and dizzy; his vision blurred and for a second he thought he was going to pass out, but then it faded slightly and he was able to stay standing. He clumsily made his way over to the towel rack, grabbing a white cloth and tying it loosely around his waist. But then, just as quickly he ripped it off– God, it hurt so _much. _His skin was so _hot._ He put his hands on his head, feeling it pulse and throb underneath his fingertips, and was fairly certain that he was going to be sick.

"Dobe, you done in there yet?" came Sasuke's cautious voice from the other side of the door.

"Uh...yeah, I'm coming," Naruto called, voice a hoarse, pained rasp. He wobbled, debating upon whether to head for the door or for the toilet, but a sudden lurching in his stomach made his decision for him. He took a few shaky steps forward, fell sharply on his knees, and retched.

"Naruto? Dobe, what's wrong?"

Naruto gasped out a weak, "I'm fine" before bending over and vomiting again.

"Damnit, you idiot, you shouldn't have locked the door!" Sasuke reprimanded, twisting the handle uselessly.

Naruto winced at the tone, but just then his stomach finally stopped heaving, and he sat back on his heels, breathing hard and still feeling sick.

"Naruto?"

"I'm okay," he managed. "Gimme a sec."

He reached up to the sink and grabbed his toothbrush, needing to get rid of the acrid taste of vomit in his mouth. It took him several minutes to get his strangely weak limbs to cooperate, but finally he finished and prepared to face the daunting task of getting to the door.

He crawled, quite pathetically, across the bathroom floor, too dizzy to do the task standing up, and when he got to the door he strained his arm upwards and unlocked it. He was fully prepared when Sasuke immediately yanked it open, but he was not prepared to see the look of utter shock on the other's normally stoic face.

"What's–

"What the hell did you do?" Sasuke brutally cut him off. He slid a hand over his face– was it shaking? and knelt down in front of his lover, running his eyes disbelievingly over the red, blistered skin.

Naruto shrank away from him, the tone and volume of the other's voice automatically bringing him back to hands around his neck and pain and fear and–

"Calm down," Sasuke said, too sharply; the other man flinched and clenched his eyes shut. He cursed, frustrated, and tried to soften his voice, reassuring the other man firmly, "I'm not mad. Okay? I'm not. I just wasn't expecting this."

Naruto exhaled and nodded, letting his eyes peek open again to stare rather helplessly at the blurry man in front of him. "I...don't feel good," he admitted in a small whisper. "It hurts."

"Well no wonder," Sasuke snapped, regretting the harshness in his voice immediately when the blonde grimaced in response. _Shit, I'm gonna have to work on this,_ he reluctantly admitted to himself.

"I just wanted them to go away," Naruto whimpered, sounding like he was bordering upon delirium.

"Who? What are you talking about, dobe?" Sasuke asked, frustration rapidly transforming into genuine concern for his lover.

Naruto lifted his head and pointed weakly to his neck, which was so red and inflamed that Sasuke couldn't hold in his sharp intake of air.

"I didn't want to see these anymore," the blonde said desperately, fingernails beginning to claw at the area. "I just wanted to forget."

Sasuke hurriedly grabbed his wrist and pulled it away from the already abused skin, not wanting the blonde to make it any worse. At the contact Naruto stiffened in pain; every inch of him was throbbing with stabbing heat, and the touch hurt horribly.

Sasuke saw this and immediately let the limb go, then he said in a frustrated voice, "I don't understand. How would doing _this_ to yourself help anything?"

"I don't...I don't know," Naruto slowly admitted, sounding slightly more clear-headed, and a little ashamed. He continued softly, "I guess I just thought, if I tried hard enough, I could... erase what happened earlier."

Sasuke sighed, ran his hands over his face, and said bluntly, "That makes absolutely no sense."

"It did at the time," Naruto murmured in his defense, looking away from Sasuke's disbelieving black gaze.

"Look, your ridiculous reasoning doesn't matter right now," Sasuke said flatly. "You've got first and possibly second degree burns all over your body. You need medical attention."

Naruto shook his head emphatically. He hated hospitals. "N-no."

"Dobe, you just tried to burn yourself alive! I'm taking you to the hospital!" Sasuke nearly yelled, patience obliterated in the face of this bizarre, frightening situation.

Naruto's arms went over his head in his typical defensive position, and Sasuke wanted to scream. Instead, he took the time to school himself into utter calm, and when he spoke, his voice was monotone, but softer, at least.

"Alright, then, tell me what you want to do."

Naruto swallowed, slowly lowered his arms, and when he looked at Sasuke his eyes were lost and vulnerable. He reached out, like a child needing reassurance, and touched his lover's cheek, his jaw, his shoulder. He squeezed there, gritting his teeth through the pain, and said quietly, "I want to stay here."

The words meant more than just him wanting to stay physically; he was saying that he wanted to stay with Sasuke, even if they're relationship had just been battered by the Uchiha's actions. Sasuke felt the poignancy of the statement acutely, and he had to resist the urge to grab the blonde and kiss him, just to make sure he was really there and willing to forgive him.

He settled on reaching out and touching the side of Naruto's head, resting against the blonde hair. Naruto turned into the touch and kissed his palm, staring at him intensely all the while.

Sasuke stroked his lover's lips, the only place that seemed to not be harmed, trying to say what he couldn't say aloud– that he was more sorry than he'd ever been in his life for hurting the blonde in this way, and that if he could take it back, he would.

Naruto gave him a small, genuine smile and pressed a tender kiss to his fingertips. They stayed like that, sharing a brief, intense moment of understanding and love.

Then the blonde pulled away and heaved a dramatic sigh. "As much as it pains me to admit," he began theatrically, pausing for affect. "I think," he paused again, "that I _might_ need a_ tiny _bit of help getting up."

And just like that, all of the awful tension between them dissolved, leaving their comfortable banter and companionship.

Sasuke offered him a smirk before remarking, "You're gonna need help _moving_ at all, dobe."

"Ha ha. Just help me, teme."

Sasuke slipped his arms underneath the other man's and easily pulled him to his feet. The blonde swayed and fell into Sasuke's chest, then hissed at the contact.

"Just take it slow," Sasuke warned. "You've got heat exhaustion. You're going to feel really nauseous and dizzy for the next few hours."

"Great," Naruto grumbled. Just then, his body began to shiver uncontrollably, and he gasped out fearfully, "W-what's going on?"

"It's alright," Sasuke soothed. "Your body is trying figure out what it needs to do to get your temperature back to normal. It feels cold because you've just gone from extremely hot water to cold air, so it's shivering to generate body heat."

"B-but I'm already boiling," the other protested, teeth chattering.

"_You_ might recognize that, but your body is a little confused. The shaking will happen on and off for a little while until your temperature is stable back where it's supposed to be," Sasuke explained to the blonde growth on his chest, who nodded to show he'd heard. "God, you _are_ hot," the dark-haired man observed, feeling the abnormal heat of the other's body radiating off of him.

"Why thank you," Naruto said, giggling.

"You're delirious," Sasuke concluded. "Come on, let's get you lying down. You need to get hydrated and then sleep this off."

Naruto's fingers clenched in Sasuke's shirt, the thought of making it all the way to their bed a bit daunting. Sasuke leant forward till his mouth was against the other's ear and whispered, "Want me to carry you, dobe?"

Naruto scoffed and swiped weakly at him. "You just want to feel me up," he accused, voice slightly slurred now.

Sasuke shrugged, not denying it.

"Pervert!" Naruto declared, before his eyes rolled back and he passed out cold.

Sasuke snickered and caught him, muttering, "Idiot" before picking him up and carrying him to their bed. Once there, he carefully laid the other man down and pulled a thin sheet over his naked, heated body. Then he headed for the kitchen, filled a glass full with water, and brought it back to the bedroom, setting it on the desk next to the mattress.

"Naruto," he called, reaching out to shake his lover's shoulder. "You've got to wake up."

"Lemme sleep, teme," the blonde mumbled, eyes scrunching shut in pain. "Hurts..."

"I know it does, but you have to get some fluid in you," Sasuke said sternly.

Naruto didn't answer, just turned his head into the pillow and tried to go back to sleep.

"C'mon, dobe," Sasuke snapped, getting frustrated. Naruto sighed and slowly opened his eyes, blinking owlishly at his lover.

"I'm awake," he said blearily. "What do you want?"

"You need to sit up so you can drink something."

"Why can't I do it laying down?" he whined.

"Do you _want_ to choke and die?" Sasuke asked, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"No, I don't, but it seems as if I have no choice in the matter these days," Naruto shot back, feeling shamefully satisfied when Sasuke flinched, then quickly schooled his startled expression into indifference.

"You can go back to sleep as soon as you're done," he said stiffly, voice completely flat, eyes avoiding Naruto entirely. The blonde felt guilt sucker-punch him in the gut; he'd hurt his lover, and he'd done it purely out of a childish desire for revenge. He'd never advocated the eye-for-an-eye approach, and he'd just broken that stance.

"I'm sorry, that was cruel," Naruto said sincerely, moving his hand to rest on Sasuke's thigh.

"It's fine," Sasuke bit out. Then, quieter, he said, "Look, you have every right to be mad. I can handle your insults, believe me."

"I know you can," Naruto said softly, "But I'm not that person– I'm not...spiteful. I won't let myself become like that, and I don't want you to let me either."

Sasuke nodded, understanding, the awkward moment already forgotten in his mind. "Okay. Now sit up. The sooner you get this done, the sooner you can pass out again."

"I can't wait," Naruto said wistfully, before beginning to raise himself up. He couldn't hold back a sharp, pained cry at the feeling of his abused skin stretching and pulling.

"Fight through it," Sasuke said, voice calm and steady. He knew how painful burns could be, but they had to do this. "All you've got to do is drink a glass of water, then you're done."

Naruto nodded, tears of pain springing to his eyes as he pulled himself completely upright. "Fuck," he cursed shakily. "Okay, I'm up. Gimme the damn water." Sasuke grabbed the glass, and carefully handed it over to the blonde, whose fingers were trembling.

"Do you want me to–

"No," Naruto said stubbornly. "I can do it." He curled both hands around the glass and brought it slowly up to his lips. He made it about halfway before the cup dropped, landing solidly on his burnt, blistered chest, rolling downwards and spilling water all over him. He screamed; he couldn't help it, the painful contact was too much; he clenched his eyes shut and felt wetness slip unbidden out from under his eyelids as pain thrummed through his veins.

Sasuke quickly picked up the glass and ran to the bathroom to grab a towel, hurrying back and carefully pressing the towel to Naruto's hot skin, holding it steady when the blonde bucked and cried out.

"Easy, dobe. Calm down," Sasuke said quietly. "You'll thank me for this later– your body doesn't need any more abrupt temperature changes." He continued his task, trying to ignore his lover's pained weeping, gently mopping up the water and trying not to bother the inflamed skin too much. Finally, when the blonde was sufficiently dry, Sasuke set the towel aside and pulled the sheet up over his body again. He took a look at his lover, then, and saw that he was gasping for air, the end of each breath a strained whimper, and he was nearly biting through his bottom lip in an effort to control the tears.

Sasuke reached a hand out and stroked Naruto's hair, trying to calm him. "I can take you to the hospital, right now," he said softly, fingers brushing over the smooth skin of his lover's forehead. "They'll give you something to stop the pain."

Naruto's lips trembled; it hurt so much, but he _hated_ hospitals. "N-no, just, just fix it. Please. You're Sasuke, you can fix anything. Just make it better..." He trailed off; he didn't know what he was saying anymore; his vision was blurring and he felt sick and feverish.

"I can't just magically fix you," Sasuke murmured, some regret in his voice. "I don't have burn ointment or any kind of pain medication." He traced the shell of Naruto's ear and sighed; he knew how the other man felt about hospitals, but going to one _had _to be a better alternative than this obviously painful ordeal.

"W-wait," Naruto said, looking clearer-eyed all of a sudden. "I think I might not have used up all of my burn ointment from last year. Check the second drawer in the bathroom."

Sasuke obeyed, getting up and walking over to the bathroom; Naruto heard him rummage around, and then he appeared again, holding a small tube in his hand.

"Oh, good," Naruto breathed, swallowing thickly as a wave of nausea washed over him.

"This will hurt at first," Sasuke warned as he approached the bed.

"Just do it," Naruto said quietly. "I can handle it."

Sasuke grunted an "okay" and sat down next to him, about to open the ointment before he suddenly remembered that the other had yet to get any liquid into his system. He grabbed the glass, went back to the bathroom, filled it up with water from the sink, and came back to the bed, saying sternly, "I'm helping you this time."

Naruto didn't even protest, and the two spent the next few minutes with Sasuke tipping the cup back against the blonde's lips, slowly letting him drink the cool water. When it was empty, Sasuke set it back on the desk and faced his lover once again. The blonde leaned forward with his glistening lips and kissed him, startling the dark-haired man slightly. Before he could kiss back, though, Naruto pulled away and said earnestly,

"Thank you."

"No problem," Sasuke replied, taking out the tube of ointment and quickly opening it. "Alright, lie back. I'm going to get your neck first, it's the worst area."

Naruto gulped and whispered, "Okay."

"Just try and relax," Sasuke advised, before squeezing the cool gel onto his fingers and pressing them to the blistered skin. Naruto sucked in air, closing his eyes as panic and pain flared up within him. Sasuke didn't move, waiting for the other man to relax his tensed muscles, and when he was sure the other wouldn't panic, he began carefully rubbing in the ointment. Naruto hissed and shifted; it was an odd sensation– the coolness was pleasant on his burning skin, but the contact in general was painful. He grit his teeth and beared it for the next twenty minutes as Sasuke applied the ointment to every blistered or red area on his body.

Finally, it was over, and he actually felt marginally better. Even the worst areas felt vaguely numbed, and all of his skin was tingling pleasantly. His eyes closed in relaxation. He heard Sasuke get up and rummage around a bit, probably getting ready for bed. By the time he got back, Naruto was nearly asleep, just barely aware of the shifting of the mattress as Sasuke laid down and the sudden darkness as his lover switched off the lights.

The blonde was about to slip into unconsciousness when his body suddenly began to shiver again; soon, he was shaking from head to toe and his teeth were chattering. Sasuke sat up and grabbed the thicker blanket from where it was scrunched at the bottom of the bed, pulling it up and over the shaking body of his lover.

"Better?" he asked.

"Y-yeah, but..." Naruto trailed off, grabbed the other's arm and pulled it over his chest, wanting the warmth the other man provided. "Th-that's even better," he mumbled.

Sasuke grunted, smirking a little, and stayed in the requested spot, feeling the tremors as they passed relentlessly through the other's body. Eventually, the shaking calmed, and Sasuke closed his eyes to sleep.

Right when Sasuke was at the brink of unconsciousness, the other man whined that it was way too hot and he began kicking weakly at the thick cocoon around him.

Sasuke, irritated, yanked the coverlet off and settled back down beside him to sleep.

Five minutes later, Naruto's shivering rattled the bed.

And so the night passed in that fashion.

At least, Sasuke reasoned as he grumpily got up for work, the blonde seemed to have forgiven him.

If only he could make him forget.


	11. Getting Help

**AN:** Hey, everyone. Sorry for the longer wait. It's been a busy few days! Anyway, I hope you like the chappy, it's a little bit of a filler but don't worry it's leading up to something big! Thanks to all the reviewers of the last chappy and I hope you continue reading. :D

**Warnings for this Chapter:** Cursing, violence

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Lee/Saku

**Disclaimer:** Not mine

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When Naruto woke up, he officially hated himself.

What the _hell_ had he been thinking yesterday?

His whole body _throbbed_ with pain; a sickening rhythm was beating in his temples, his throat felt swollen and sore, and each and every blister on his skin was screaming out its own private, stinging agony.

"Fuck," he said emphatically. He needed some pain medication, pronto.

Unfortunately– damn it all– the blessed pills were located all the way over in the kitchen, and he didn't think he'd be able to manage getting up at this point, let alone walk a fair distance.

"Fuck," he said again, wishing Sasuke had stayed home to be his slave for the day. He sighed, and decided that he had to at least _try. _He very slowly pulled himself up into sitting position, hissing and crying out as his burned skin stretched at the movement. Finally, he was sitting, breath coming a little quicker in pain, but sitting nonetheless. He shifted his legs so that they were hanging over the side of the bed, toes just barely brushing the floor, and took a moment to mentally prepare himself for getting up. Just as he was about to make an attempt, he noticed what was on the night-stand.

A glass of water and two white ibuprofen pills.

"God I love him," Naruto breathed in relief.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Sasuke was making his way to his car after work when he felt eyes on his back. He didn't even pause in his step, not wanting to alert the follower that he was aware of his presence. He did, however, begin fiddling with his pocketknife, ready to use it if need be. After a moment, he heard footsteps behind him– quiet, subtle, but infinitely noticeable to his sensitive hearing. He calmly turned around and came face to face with–

Orochimaru.

"Why are you following me?" he asked his old client bluntly. The year before he'd handled several cases for the man, although they'd all been mysteriously dropped before Sasuke had needed to perform. Sasuke didn't particularly like him– he was needlessly manipulative and spoke in arrogant, convoluted stretches of monologue that made the Uchiha want to punch the snide expression off his oily face.

But that was beside the point.

"Hello to you too, Sasuke," Orochimaru greeted smoothly. He was wearing a black trench-coat and his long hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, making the sharp angles of his face stand out even more starkly.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked sharply. "I need to get going."

"Home to Naruto?" the other man drawled, a smirk playing on his lips.

"What's it to you," Sasuke said through gritted teeth. The man was seriously starting to grate on his nerves.

"So touchy," Orochimaru commented, continuing innocently, "I just wanted to speak to you for a moment."

"Alright. Talk."

"I have a proposition for you," the other man began, stepping closer to the other man as if preparing to reveal some dark secret.

"Okay. What is it?" Sasuke asked impatiently.

"The lawyer I'm currently involved with works at a very prestigious law firm," Orochimaru started, his tone rather pretentious. "I told him all about the impressive abilities you demonstrated when you worked with me last year. So he talked to his boss, and they would love to have you with them."

Sasuke stared at him. "I already belong to a law firm, thanks." And he turned to walk away.

"I think it would benefit both you and your lover if you considered switching to ours," Orochimaru said lowly, and there was a hardness in his voice that made Sasuke's temper flare.

"Are you threatening me?" he asked, voice deadly quiet.

"Just...think about it," the long-haired man said in a honeyed tone. "You could be very successful there. You'd have a lot more power than you have now." He paused, then added slyly, "And I'm sure you'd never have to deal with cases being taken away from you ever again."

Sasuke's nostrils flared in anger, and perhaps, if he admitted to himself, a little bit of excitement at the prospect. "I'll pass," he said stiffly. "Goodnight."

Orochimaru grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip, so tight Sasuke knew he'd have a bruise later. "I said, consider it," the man growled in his ear. Quick as lightening Sasuke yanked out of his grip, whipped out his pocketknife and pressed it to the other man's neck.

"_Don't_ fuck with me, Orochimaru," Sasuke darkly warned. "I make my own decisions. I won't be forced into anything by the likes of you or anyone else. Understood?"

"Why, yes, Mr. Uchiha," Orochimaru said in a sickly sweet voice, looking not even the slightest bit concerned at the blade cutting into his skin. "I apologize for keeping you out so late. Give Naruto my best."

At the reminder of his lover Sasuke pulled away, still glaring, and shoved the pocketknife back into its place. He gave Orochimaru one last gaze of warning before turning and heading to his car.

On his way home he tried to ignore how his thoughts kept swirling around the idea of joining the new firm, of getting to be his own boss and having the power to do what he wished with his career.

He had to admit, despite the oily man the proposition had come from, the idea was somewhat appealing.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Dobe?" Sasuke called as he entered their apartment.

"In here!" came Naruto's voice from the bedroom. Sasuke frowned; the other man sounded odd– his voice was shaking and seemed frightened. He walked quickly into their room and saw the blonde sitting up in bed, looking terrified; his eyes were wide as saucers and he was visibly shaking.

"What is it? What happened?" Sasuke asked, approaching him.

"Kisame called," Naruto whispered.

"_What_?" Sasuke hissed, anger thrumming through him. "What did he say? Did he threaten you?"

Naruto nodded, body shuddering. "He recited our address. And then he s-said that he was coming to finish the job that 'snake boy' wouldn't let him finish the first time."

"When did he call?" Sasuke demanded.

"9. This morning," Naruto said, gulping anxiously.

"Did you call the police? They might have been able to trace it."

"Y-yeah, I did, but they said he wasn't on the phone for long enough for their tracing system to work," Naruto rapidly replied. "Apparently there needs to be at least a minute of phone time."

"Damn," Sasuke cursed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. He sighed, "Well, what's done is done. If he calls again you're going to have to try and keep him on the phone for as long as they need to get a lock on his location."

Naruto's eyes widened a little at the prospect, but then he nodded and murmured, "Okay."

"Good," Sasuke grunted. He glanced absently over to the clock. It was 7:00.

"It must have been a tough few hours," he said quietly.

Naruto nodded mutely, too drained to respond.

Sasuke reached out and wrapped an arm carefully around his lover's shoulders, bringing the blonde head into the crook of his shoulder, where he knew the other liked to press against. He felt the faint tremors of fear still lingering in Naruto's limbs, and the quick, anxious breaths puffing out against his neck.

"I was so scared," the blonde reluctantly admitted, voice soft."I still am."

"Don't be," Sasuke replied, threading his fingers through the blonde hair and stroking the other's scalp in slow circles. After a few minutes of this, Naruto's breathing slowed and his tensed muscles finally began to relax.

"What are we going to do?" Naruto asked, lips moving against Sasuke's skin, making the other man shiver slightly.

"Well, the police are searching for him, but until then we'll just have to be incredibly cautious," the dark-haired man said. "That means no going out of the house on your own. If you absolutely need to leave, call Kakashi to come and pick you up. Make sure all of the doors are locked at all times, and don't open them for anyone until you've verified who they are."

"Yes, Mom, anything else?" Naruto teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm serious," Sasuke snapped, voice suddenly heated. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

The startlingly honest confession took Naruto by surprise. His jaw hung open for a moment before he came back to himself and pressed a tender kiss to Sasuke's cheek. Then he pulled back and whispered, "Thank you. I appreciate that. I promise to follow all of the rules, okay?"

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, averting his eyes. Naruto could swear he saw a red flush in the other's cheeks.

"You're blushing," he teased, rubbing their noses together in an eskimo kiss.

"Shut up, dobe," Sasuke muttered, still avoiding those mirthful blue eyes. Naruto smiled smugly and briefly pressed their lips together before nestling back down against the other's shoulder, infinitely glad that the pain medication was strong enough to allow this closeness. The intense fear that had filled him for the past ten hours melted away in the scent of Sasuke and the warmth of his chest. Naruto closed his eyes, utterly relaxed, and drowsed against his lover.

Sasuke stared down at the blonde head, his eyes softening. "Don't you want to sleep on a bed?" he asked, voice slightly amused.

"No, you're more comfy," Naruto mumbled, pressing his nose into the other's collarbone and nuzzling closer. "Shut up and lemme sleep, teme..."

"I've got to work on my case," Sasuke murmured, and there was regret in his voice.

"Stay with me. Just for a few minutes," Naruto pleaded, fingers reaching up to curl in the other's shirt.

"Naruto," Sasuke warned.

The fingers curled tighter.

"Five minutes," the blonde said.

"Dobe, I really have to–

"Fine then, leave!" Naruto shouted, suddenly irrationally furious. He shoved the other man, hard, taking Sasuke by surprise and causing him to stumble backwards and fall to the floor. Naruto breathed hard, feeling the now familiar tingling sensation of power thrumming right underneath his skin, threatening to take him over and consume him. He almost let it happen, but then he caught sight of Sasuke's sprawled form and bewildered face and he was pulled abruptly back into reality. "Shit, Sasuke, I'm so sorry!" Naruto frantically apologized, ignoring the lingering pain of his skin and hurrying over to his lover. "Are you alright?" he asked, hands sliding over his shoulders, his hair, his chest.

"Naruto, I'm fine," Sasuke snapped, shoving the other man's hands off of him and sitting up. "Get back in bed, you're going to disturb your blisters."

"B-but–

"Go!" Sasuke roared.

Naruto scrambled back into the bed, gasps coming up into his throat, choking him. He began to panic; he started to shake horribly, body convulsing as he tried desperately to suck in air.

"Damnit, calm down," Sasuke said, approaching him quickly. "Breathe, Naruto. Breathe."

The blonde clamped his hands over his chest and bent over, breathing shallowly and quickly, sickeningly unable to get the air into lungs.

"Look at me," Sasuke ordered, kneeling down in front of his lover. He grabbed both sides of the blonde head and pulled it upwards so he could look into the frightened, unfocused blue eyes. "You have to calm down," he said firmly.

"I-I can't _breathe_," Naruto choked out, reaching his hands up to grip Sasuke's wrists, clinging to his lover like a drowning man attempting to stay afloat.

"Yes you can," Sasuke countered. "Just try and slow down and deepen your breaths, alright?" He kept his eyes locked on the other's, silently coaching his lover through it, hands stroking his hair in soothing encouragement. Naruto shuddered and gasped, fighting the panic for a few long minutes. Finally, his breathing began to gradually slow down, and he slumped, exhausted, against Sasuke's shoulder.

"It keeps happening," Naruto whispered helplessly into the dark-haired man's neck. "This anger... I can't control it."

"I know," Sasuke replied gently. He stroked the back of his lover's head and murmured, "I also know that you're not going to like this...but you need help, Naruto." With that, he pressed his fingers hard into two pressure points on Naruto's head, causing him to go limp in his arms.

"I'm gonna be in big trouble for that," he remarked dryly to himself, before lifting his lover off the bed and heading to the car.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Oh, hey, Sasuke," Kakashi greeted in a surprised voice. "You here to visit Iruka?"

"Not exactly," Sasuke replied vaguely. "But I'll probably see him later."

"Alright, looks like I'm going to have to take the direct approach, then," Kakashi said dryly. "What are you doing here?"

"It's Naruto," Sasuke practically barked.

"Is the brat okay?" the white-haired man asked, concerned.

"He's fine."

"Then why is he at the hospital?" Kakashi sighed, beginning to get frustrated with the stupid, stubborn man in front of him.

"None of your business," Sasuke snapped loudly.

Kakashi put his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Don't bite my head off, sheesh. I just wanted to know if he was alright."

"I told you, he's fine," Sasuke said, and this time, underneath the irritation, he sounded almost... tired.

Kakashi shrugged, letting it go. "Whatever you say."He stood for a moment, giving Sasuke the chance to open up– _hah, _his mind snarked– if he wanted to. When no response was forthcoming he waved a lazy hand and muttered, "Alright, then. Later, brat."

Sasuke growled and that was that.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Naruto woke up absolutely furious. When he caught side of midnight hair and matching black eyes he thrashed and kicked and screamed until he felt a needle prick his skin and then blackness stole silently over him and he was still.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Is he always that bad?" a pretentious-looking nurse asked, her face distorted in a scowl as she flurried around Naruto, checking to make sure his burns hadn't been disturbed.

"Yeah, that's Naruto, alright," Sasuke replied calmly, though inwardly he felt a little...shaken. He'd locked eyes with his lover's during the blonde's episode and he had seen not only anger but a _deeply_ betrayed shimmer; the evidence of a hurt far surpassing any physical pain he must've been feeling. Sasuke stared at the other man, wanting to...to touch him, wanting to make him understand why he'd taken him here. _It was for his own good, damnit, _one voice in his head growled.

_You took him to one of the places that he fears the most when you could've just as easily taken care of him yourself, _another voice argued.

_For the burns, perhaps. But his anger problems? I needed outside help, and I figured if I could get that in addition to medical care, then all the better. Two birds with one stone. _

"Mr. Uchiha?"

"W-what?" he asked, startled out of his reverie, turning to face a familiar tall, blonde-haired man. "Oh, Dr. Tolman, I thought you wouldn't be coming by until later."

"We had a fire scare," the doctor explained. "The firemen are inspecting the institution for the next few hours. I figured I'd come by here until they call me back." He turned to Naruto. "How is he?"

"He's alright," Sasuke replied. "His burns are healing up much faster with this more intensive treatment than with any pathetic first aid attempts at home."

"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself of something," Dr. Tolman said wisely, a small smile playing at his lips.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. "He hates hospitals."

"And I take it he didn't come here by his own choice?" the man asked, but his voice wasn't derisive, merely curious.

Sasuke looked away, avoiding his eyes. "No," he mumbled. "But it was–

"For his own good, I know," the doctor finished for him.

"You don't think it was?" Sasuke asked defensively. "If he had stayed at home, they could've gotten infected, or–

"Woah, woah, you don't have to prove anything to me," the other man said quickly. "I'm not here to judge you, I'm here to evaluate Naruto's mental state, that's all."

"I know that," Sasuke snapped. "I called you here, didn't I?"

"Right, so you should have no problem explaining the situation to me," the doctor replied calmly. He pulled a stool out from behind the desk in the room and sat on it, gesturing to Sasuke to sit in the chair propped up by Naruto's bedside. Sasuke glared mildly, generally angry at the whole situation, and lowered himself into the chair, unable to help a sidelong glance at his unconscious lover.

"So? Tell me about this anger problem," Dr. Tolman said, lacing his fingers together in his lap and leaning forward attentively.

"Well, it started when we rescued our friend, who had been abducted from our home," Sasuke began.

"Oh, wow, was that why you were visiting Kisame?" the doctor interrupted, unable to hold in his surprise at the other man's statement.

"Yes," Sasuke answered shortly. "Anyway, the night after Kisame beat the shit out of him, Naruto decided to come with Kakashi and I to rescue Iruka. We got into a bad situation, and Naruto saw me getting hurt and he just– he just freaked."

"Describe exactly what happened."

"I'd just gotten slammed in the head," Sasuke said bluntly. "I couldn't really see much." He paused, and when he spoke again his voice sounded vaguely uncertain. "But I could _hear_ it."

"And?" Dr. Tolman prompted.

Sasuke shook himself and muttered, "It's stupid. It was probably just effects from the blow to the head."

"Look, no detail is unimportant," the man insisted. "Just try and explain it the best you can."

Sasuke sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, preparing to sound like an idiot. "Well, it sounded like he was... an animal or something."

"What do you mean?" the doctor asked, intrigued.

"He was so angry that his voice was...different. It was this deep, furious growling." Sasuke paused, exasperated, unsure of how to explain it. He continued slowly, "It almost sounded like he was... possessed."

"Hm," Dr. Tolman mused. "What happened after that?"

"I went briefly unconscious. When I came to, he was out cold, and he'd beat the living shit out of everyone in the room."

"Wow," the other man commented, rubbing his chin. "How many were there?"

"Two. But they are two of the most powerful fighters I know," Sasuke replied. "Put it this way, to land a punch on one of these guys would be a miracle for the toughest of men."

"Like yourself?" the doctor asked.

"Stop fucking trying to read into everything I say," Sasuke snapped, angry at the prod into his business.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," the other man responded calmly. "No matter, continue."

_Fucker,_ he thought, irritated at the doctor's infuriating ability to effortlessly press all of his buttons. "I took him home. The next day, it happened again. I yelled at him for following us when we told him not to, and he suddenly got ridiculously angry again."

"I'm assuming you could see this time," the doctor guessed. "Could you explain what he looked like when he got angry?"

"He curled in on himself and started growling again," Sasuke said, with more confidence this time. "And when I touched him, he looked up at me and his eyes were practically inhuman. They also looked...red."

"Red?"

"Yes, red," Sasuke repeated. He sighed, "I told you it was an odd situation."

Dr. Tolman was silent for a few long minutes. Finally, he said, "Well, you're right, I've never heard of something like this. But that doesn't mean I won't look into it."

"Good."

"Have there been any other episodes?" he asked.

"Earlier today, when I told him that I couldn't stay with him because I had to work on a case, he suddenly yelled 'fine, leave!' and shoved me to the floor. Seconds later, though, he was rushing to my side, trying to see if I was okay," Sasuke replied, his voice perplexed.

"It _is_ strange," the doctor agreed. "I'm going to have to do some research, and a formal evaluation of Naruto whenever he's ready to speak with me."

"Hn, that could be a while," Sasuke said, glancing at the blonde. "He's gonna be out for at least a couple of hours after that sedative, and when he does wake up, I'm pretty sure he's not going to want to have a chat with you."

Dr. Tolman smiled ambiguously. "Perhaps," he said. Then he stood. "Anyhow, I should probably check up on the institution and see where they're at with the inspection. I'll keep you posted on what I find."

Sasuke stood and shook his hand. "Thank you."

"My pleasure."

He turned to leave, but Sasuke called out, "Wait. Do you have any news on Kisame? He called our house earlier."

"He what?" the doctor asked, alarmed, spinning to face him again.

"Yeah, when I was at work he called Naruto and threatened him," Sasuke replied, anger seeping into his voice at the thought of it.

"Did he call the police?"

"Yes, but they told him it was no use, they couldn't trace it. He was only on the phone for a few seconds," Sasuke explained resentfully.

"Damn, that's the only clue we've gotten so far as to his whereabouts," Dr. Tolman replied, frustration showing clearly on his face.

"The investigation hasn't gone anywhere?" Sasuke demanded, unable to help the accusatory tone of his voice.

"Well, the _police_ are doing their best, but no, there hasn't been any progress," the other man responded, regretfully.

Sasuke grunted. "Alright. Keep me updated on that situation as well, would you?"

"I'll do that," he promised. He turned and left, his footsteps down the hall echoing in the suddenly quiet room.

Sasuke sighed and turned to his lover, absently reaching out a hand to touch his wrist.

"I know you're probably furious with me," he said softly. "But I stand by what I did. You're going to get help, Naruto. And it's all going to work out."

If only those last words didn't sound so hollow in his ears.


	12. Spiralling Out of Control

**AN: **Heyy, it's a long chappy for you today! And a whole bunch of fun stuff happens in this one, as I promised! Thanks to all the reviewers n hope you enjoy.

Oh, by the way, just to clear this up-- Naruto is NOT in the mental institution, he's in the same hospital as Iruka. Sasuke just thought it would be convenient to have Naruto taken to the place right next to the institution so that he could get seen for his burns in addition to getting seen by Dr. Tolman for his anger issues. That's Sasuke for ya-- efficiency over morality. Stupid dummy. But we love him :D

**Warnings:** Cursing, kissing

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Lee/Saku

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

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"Get the fuck out, Uchiha!" Naruto roared, so angry he could barely see straight. "I don't want to see you– not now, not ever, you fucking bastard!"

"You're overreacting, dobe," Sasuke snapped. "You needed medical attention. It was for your own good."

Naruto's glare was absolutely furious and when he spoke his voice was more chilly than Sasuke had ever heard it. "You think you can do whatever you want because Sasuke knows best and no one else's opinion matters. Well guess what– you're not going to get away with it this time, because I will _never_ forgive you for what you did. Now fucking _leave._"

Sasuke grit his teeth. "Naruto–

"Mr. Uchiha, you need to go," said the snooty nurse. "You're upsetting him."

"I'm not leaving," Sasuke growled. He turned to his lover. "Yes, Naruto, in this case, I _did_ know best and your phobia-driven opinion did _not_ matter. But there have definitely been times when–

"Fuck you!" Naruto angrily cut him off. "It doesn't matter what you thought of my opinion, it was still wrong to go against it and bring me here when I didn't have a choice in the matter!"

Sasuke closed his eyes and tiredly pinched the bridge of his nose, not seeing the nurse scurry out of the room with a determined look on her face. "Look, I only did it because I knew you'd get better attention here."

"Yeah because you have too much work to do to dare spend a few minutes patching me up at home," Naruto said derisively.

"That's not fair," Sasuke growled angrily. "You know I would've tended to your injuries."

"Then why the fuck did you bring me _here_?" Naruto yelled, eyes blazing.

"Because it was the best thing to do!" Sasuke shouted back.

"Knocking me out and dragging me here against my will was the best thing to do?" Naruto raged. "Strangling the shit out of me was the best thing to do? Huh? Is that what you think?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to reply then froze as fingers wrapped around both of his arms in a bruising grip.

"Mr. Uzumaki, was that an accurate statement you just made?" asked one of the hulking men, peering at the blonde.

Caught up in anger, Naruto replied heatedly, "Yes, it was. The bastard did all of those things."

"Do you wish to press charges?"

"Yes," the blonde said immediately, defiance and rage thrumming in his veins as he turned to give Sasuke a look of triumph. Expecting to see anger in those eyes, though, he was utterly shocked to see a glimmer of pure panic there; the look shook him to the core and he opened his mouth to gasp out something, _anything_ to keep them from taking Sasuke away; but he couldn't seem to speak, and he watched helplessly as his lover was yanked around and pulled out of the room by the two uniformed men.

When everyone had left, leaving the place completely silent, the realization of what he'd done hit Naruto like a ton of bricks.

"S-Sasuke," he whispered, terrified. "Oh–oh God, Sasuke."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Woah, woah, what's going on?" Kakashi called out as he caught sight of two policemen escorting Sasuke out of the hospital. He jogged over to them, shock and worry filling him as he saw the handcuffs on the dark-haired man and the lifeless expression on his face.

"This is a criminal matter and unless you're family, we cannot give you details about the case," one of them stiffly replied, turning to leave again.

"Hey, I might as well be," Kakashi protested, grabbing his arm and pulling him back to face him. "So can you please tell me what's going on?"

The man shook him off and growled, "Look, I'm sorry, sir, but you must be family by blood. So unless Mr. Uzumaki wishes to discuss with you the charges he made against this man, you cannot be given any information." With that he and his partner wrenched Sasuke out the door and left.

"Holy shit," Kakashi breathed before rushing to the front desk. "What room is Naruto Uzumaki in?"

"Are you family?"

"No, damnit, but I'm sure I'm listed on his next of kin so just let me go already!" Kakashi snapped, temper flaring. The woman shrank away at his tone, looking frightened, and he sighed, taking a calming breath before saying, "Look, I'm sorry. There's just a bad situation going on and I need to speak with him. Could you please tell me his room number?"

The woman nodded, still looking a little shaken, and said, "That-that's fine. I understand. Let me just see if you're on his forms, and then I can give you his room number." She typed a few things into her computer, then looked up and said, "Looks like you were correct, sir. He's in 207. I hope– I hope that your situation improves."

"Thank you," Kakashi said genuinely. "I apologize again for snapping at you like that."

"It's alright. Have a good day."

The white-haired man nodded and walked hurriedly down the hall to Naruto's room. When he got there he opened the door to see Dr. Tolman sitting at the blonde's bedside, and Naruto in the bed... crying?

"Naruto, what happened?" Kakashi asked, hurrying around to sit across from the doctor, who nodded at him briefly in greeting.

Naruto looked up and locked eyes with him and Kakashi took a sharp intake of air; he'd never seen such regret and anguish in the blue irisis.

"I-I messed up, Kakashi," Naruto choked out. "I messed up big time. I'm an idiot."

"You were angry," Dr. Tolman reasoned tiredly; it sounded like he'd said the same thing more than once. "You acted without thinking."

"That doesn't matter!" Naruto cried, putting his head in his hands. "I still did it!"

"Will someone _please_ tell me what the hell is going on?" Kakashi loudly interrupted.

Naruto didn't answer, but gestured weakly to Dr. Tolman to explain.

"He and Sasuke were having a fight and Naruto got so angry that he revealed some things about their personal life that were probably better left private," the doctor relayed.

"Like what?" Kakashi scoffed, turning to Naruto in question. The blonde sighed and tilted his head as far back as he could, exposing his mottled, blistered neck.

Kakashi gasped. "Sasuke did that?"

"Not all of it," Naruto whispered. "I...did the blisters. He's responsible for the bruises."

"He strangled you?" the white-haired man asked, aghast.

"We were fighting and things got really heated," the blonde said in a small voice. "I sort of...mentioned his brother, and..."

"Ah," Kakashi said, understanding immediately.

"Naruto told me about Sasuke's past," Dr. Tolman said. "Given those circumstances, I'd say his reaction to the reminder of his brother was indeed violent, but not unusual."

"The police aren't going to see it that way," Naruto whispered miserably.

"Can't Naruto just say he wants to drop the charges?" Kakashi asked Dr. Tolman.

"Yes, but they still have to question them both," the other man regretfully responded. "Which means that Sasuke has to be detained at the police station until they've done so."

Naruto's breath hitched in a sob. "I feel so _bad_. You should've seen his face, Kakashi. He looked...scared."

"Sasuke?" Kakashi teased, trying to lighten the mood. "Sasuke Uchiha?"

Naruto's only response was to bury his head deeper into his hands.

Kakashi glanced to the doctor, both looking equally grim.

"I should probably let Iruka know what's going on," the white-haired man said slowly. "I'll see you later, brat, okay?"

"'kay," Naruto mumbled into his hands. Kakashi left, leaving the blonde and the doctor alone.

"Listen, Naruto, I know you feel awful about this but–

"Don't do that therapy shit with me right now, okay?" Naruto snapped, swinging his defiant gaze up to the other man. "I'm not in the fucking mood." The doctor didn't reply, but simply gazed at him, his brown eyes soft and kind. In the face of such genuineness, Naruto couldn't stay angry. He let out a shaky puff of air and murmured, "Sorry. I'm just...on edge right now."

"I understand," Dr. Tolman said sincerely. They were silent for a moment and then he said, "Look, I may have only known Sasuke for a matter of days, but from what I do know, and from what I've heard from you all, he sounds like a very strong man. Whatever happens, he can take care of himself. He'll be alright."

"That's not the point," Naruto replied listlessly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "He shouldn't_ have _to be in this situation. _I _shouldn't have put him in it."

"You were–

"Angry, I know!" Naruto snapped, "Yeah, alright, I was fucking furious, but that didn't give me the right to stoop down to his level and hurt him like that."

"Maybe it wasn't exactly your choice to do it, Naruto," Dr. Tolman said quietly.

"What does that mean?" the blonde asked, confused.

The doctor was silent for a moment, debating how to word it, then he said slowly, "Naruto; your anger...does it ever feel like it gets out of control?"

"Sasuke told you about that," Naruto concluded bitterly. "Another one of his 'for my own good' decisions that didn't involve any of _my_ input whatsoever."

"Do you not want my help?" the doctor asked calmly. "I can leave, if you don't. You can talk to me whenever your ready. Or not at all, if you so choose."

"No– no," Naruto sighed. "I'm glad you're here; I do need the help. But I hate that Sasuke didn't just ask me first, before telling you...or before doing _any_ of this. He _has_ to have complete control over everything and it's so frustrating."

"I bet," Dr. Tolman conceded. "But, Naruto, don't be too hard on him. I know his methods are... far from okay, but his intentions are good."

"I know that," Naruto said softly. "I know he doesn't do all this to hurt me, but that doesn't change the fact that it does."

"That's something that you two need to work on," the doctor suggested.

"It's impossible to get through to him!" Naruto exclaimed, exasperated. "He thinks he's always right and nothing I say or think has any significance."

"Like I said, you need to work on it with him. Let him know in no uncertain terms that if he doesn't stop making these decisions without your input, there _will_ be consequences."

"Like what? I sleep on the couch?" Naruto muttered sarcastically.

"Perhaps," the doctor said with a shrug. "Whatever you think will have the greatest affect on him."

"I don't think he's going to like this," Naruto said dryly. "He's the type that likes to stick with his ways, no matter what. He's not going to be manipulated into changing."

"Well, unless he wants your relationship to fall apart, he's going to have to take a look at the areas he can improve on as a person," Dr. Tolman said simply.

"Our relationship won't fall apart. We would never split up," Naruto said passionately. "Never. Believe it."

"Hey, hey, I'm not saying you would," the other man said disarmingly. "I'm just saying that if he continues acting this way, your relationship will suffer. This incident on its own is obviously going to affect the trust between you two, on both ends."

Naruto picked at his covers. "Yeah, I know," he mumbled. "I'm just not sure how to fix it."

"Talk to him," Dr. Tolman said gently.

"How?" Naruto asked softly. His eyes suddenly widened and filled with panic and shame. "Oh, God, how can I even be thinking about this right now?" Naruto cried, a desperate tinge to his voice as he sat up in bed and threw off the covers. "Here I am chatting it up about how to fix our relationship problems when I don't even know where he is! I-I don't know where they took him, or what's happening to him, or–or anything!"

"Calm down," the doctor soothed, gently pushing him back down to the bed when he tried to stand. "It's alright. He was most likely taken down to the police station, where he will be questioned extensively. Even if you got yourself down there, you probably wouldn't be able to see him for a long time."

"But," Naruto weakly protested, lips trembling. "I– I need him to know that I... that I'm sorry and, and I have to tell them that I _don't_ want to press charges. I have to get over there. Right now." He began to get up again, but Dr. Tolman put a hand on his shoulder and softly pressed him down again.

"Settle down, okay? Let me talk to the hospital first, and then we can discuss leaving," the tall man said. His voice turned stern, his doctor side showing through, as he warned, "I don't want you to push yourself. You've had a rough few days."

Naruto swallowed thickly and nodded, knowing the man was right but not wanting to obey. "Alright, alright," he grumbled.

"Okay then, I'll go speak to them. Wait here."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Shit," Kakashi breathed as he made his way to Iruka's room. They were in a big mess, and his lover was not going to be happy.

He opened the door to the now familiar room, and was dismayed to see that Iruka was tossing and turning in his bed, face scrunched in pain and fear, obviously in the throes of a nightmare. Kakashi slowly approached him and reached out a hand to gently touch his shoulder.

"Wake up, Iruka," he whispered, shaking him lightly. "C'mon, wake up."

Iruka gave a strange little whimper and trembled underneath Kakashi's grip. The white-haired man's lips thinned; angry that his lover had to go through this. He shook the other man again, and this time wide brown eyes shot open, panicked and glittering, and Iruka tried to sit up then gasped in pain and fell back down. He laid there, shuddering and breathing rapidly, tense all over.

"Sh, calm down," Kakashi said gently, keeping his hands carefully away from his lover, despite the powerful urge to touch and comfort him.

"Wha– Kakashi?" Iruka stuttered, still blinking owlishly in the sudden light.

"Yeah, it's me," the white-haired man said softly. "You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a bad dream," his lover replied. "Is everything alright with you? You look pale."

"Why thank you," Kakashi replied sarcastically. He sighed and rubbed a tired hand over his eyes. "No, things are pretty messed up right now. That's why I came back so soon; I wanted to let you know what was going on."

"What's wrong?" Iruka asked immediately, concern shining blatantly in his voice. "Is Naruto okay?"

"He's better off than Sasuke at this point," Kakashi muttered.

"Sasuke? Why? What's going on, Kakashi? Tell me!" Iruka nearly shouted, automatically struggling to sit up again.

"Woah, woah, tiger," Kakashi soothed, gently pushing the other back down onto the bed. "I'm going to tell you everything, just calm down."

So Iruka clutched Kakashi's hand in an iron grip and allowed his lover to explain the day's events to him. When the white-haired man was finished, Iruka didn't know what to feel. He was, on one hand, furious with Sasuke for taking Naruto to the hospital when he had no choice in the matter, and yet, on the other hand, he was disappointed in Naruto's petty behavior. In general, he was upset, and he wished for the millionth time that he was out of this stupid hospital bed so he could go talk to the both of them.

"You alright?" Kakashi asked softly, breaking him out of his reverie.

"Yeah, I'm just...a little shocked right now," Iruka said, running his thumb over Kakashi's knuckles. "I can't believe how both of them acted."

"I know," Kakashi agreed. "They're both at fault for this mess."

"So what should_ we_ do?" Iruka asked, gazing up at his lover in question.

Kakashi, for a moment, couldn't tear himself away from the honest, caramel eyes; but then he shook himself and replied, "_We_ aren't doing anything. _You _are going to go back to sleep and focus on your health. _I'm_ going to go and help sort this out. Okay?"

"That's not fair," Iruka grumbled, pouting.

"I know it's not," Kakashi said seriously. "Believe me, I'm sure Naruto would rather have you there with him. But this is how it has to be. You're stuck here until those injuries are healed up at least enough for you to sit up without pain, alright?"

Iruka brought Kakashi's hand to his lips and whispered against his skin, "Alright. But you better keep me updated."

Kakashi let go of Iruka's hand to briefly trace his fingers over his lover's lips, still swollen and tender from the cruel punches he'd received. Kakashi felt that familiar anger flare up and had to fight not to let the savage desire to hurt show on his face.

He should've known better, because of course his lover saw it. He grabbed Kakashi's wrist and pulled the other man close to him, so that their mouths were inches away from one another's.

"Hey, don't you hide your anger from me," Iruka whispered fiercely. "I want to see it. I want to know that you're just as furious as I am about what those horrible people did to me, to Naruto, and probably to countless others. Alright? Don't disguise that. Ever."

Kakashi was shocked at the man's vehemence, and breathed lowly, "I like it when you get so passionate and stern..."

"Do you?" Iruka murmured, bringing his good arm up to wrap around his lover's neck and pull him closer. He kissed the other man, softly, trying to ignore the lingering pain, and whispered against the other man's mouth, "I missed this."

"Did too," Kakashi said lowly, before bringing a hand up to wrap around the back of Iruka's head and press their mouths hotly together once again.

"Ah, excuse me, gentlemen," coughed a voice from somewhere behind Kakashi.

Iruka scrambled backwards, face heating up and becoming as red as a ripe tomato. "S-shit, er, I mean, sorry, sir; I-I didn't expect anyone to–I– oh, God..."

Kakashi chuckled good-naturedly, reaching out to pat Iruka's hand before greeting, "Hello, Dr. Tolman. Enjoying the view?"

But Dr. Tolman's face remained stoic.

"What is it?" Iruka asked, recovering immediately as he sensed the sudden tension in the room.

"It's Naruto," Dr. Tolman said quietly. "He's snuck out of his hospital room. He's gone."

HURTCUPEHEAL

"I need to speak to Sasuke," Naruto begged. "I don't understand what the problem is– I _told_ you, I don't want to press charges!"

"Mr. Uzumaki, you have to understand how this appears to us," said one of the various police man in the room. "You accuse a man of assaulting you. Then, only a couple of hours later, you take back the charges. The most logical explanation is that you're here out of fear of Mr. Uchiha."

Naruto nearly pulled out his hair. "Look, I told you a million times– I'm _not afraid of him_. I'm taking back the charges because I never actually _wanted_ to press them in the first place! I was just– so _angry _that I spit out the first thing I knew would rile him up and get him in trouble. I didn't mean for all of this to happen, you have to believe that!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Uzumaki, but considering the circumstances, we have to continue the investigation," the man said firmly. "Now, we were going to question you in a few days, once we were done with our initial investigation of Mr. Uchiha, but I suppose since you're here we can have another investigator speak with you. If he thinks that all checks out with your story, then perhaps we can end this earlier than expected. But I warn you, don't expect too much. Until we're sure that retracting your statement is what you really want to do, than I'm afraid we'll have to continue questioning the both of you."

"That's fine; I'm sure I'll be able to convince him that it was all a big misunderstanding," Naruto claimed determinedly.

"Alright then, let's go," the man said, turning to lead the way.

"W-wait! Can I see Sasuke first?" Naruto asked, almost desperately. "Please?"

The man sighed. "You really shouldn't. He could influence your answers to the questioning, and you could influence his."

"Can I just– can I just _see_ him? I don't have to talk to him," Naruto pleaded.

"Why is this so important to you?" the man asked suspiciously. "I haven't spoken to Sasuke yet, but the other officers are under the impression that you two are roommates and nothing more." He paused, musing silently. Then he said slowly, "It doesn't appear that way."

Naruto bit his lip, wondering what he should do. Sasuke could face discrimination because of him revealing their relationship, but he couldn't lie to the police. He settled with, "I'll wait until I'm officially being questioned to give any answers, thanks."

"Fair enough," the officer replied. "I'll take you to the room you'll be in." He stopped, then said quietly, "On the way, we'll be passing where Mr. Uchiha is being questioned. You can take a look inside, but he won't be able to see you. Two way mirror."

"Thank you," Naruto breathed.

The man nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable, and led the way through a hallway with several rooms on either side.

Naruto didn't need to be told when they came to Sasuke's room; the sight of his lover in the mirror hit him like a ton of bricks and stopped him dead in his tracks. He gasped a little; the other man looked so _haggard_– his face was pale and drawn, and his movements were sluggish and listless. Suddenly, those black eyes locked in on his, and he _knew_ that the other could sense his presence. But his gaze wasn't warm– it was haunted, lifeless; betrayed. Naruto swallowed thickly. What had he done?

"Alright, Uzumaki, you saw him. Now let's go."

But Naruto couldn't seem to get his legs to start moving. He stared helplessly into his lover's frighteningly chilly black eyes, wishing he could take back what he did, wishing _so badly_ that–

"Hey, I said come on," the policeman said loudly, grabbing his shoulder and shaking him. Naruto flinched and yanked himself away from the touch.

"Lead the way," he said coldly.

He kept his eyes on Sasuke's until they rounded the corner; the image of them lingered in his mind all the way to the investigation room.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"He's _what_?" Iruka sputtered, automatically sitting up in a panic.

Bad idea.

Pain flared through his ribs like a rabid, burning fire and he cried out, falling back down to the bed and gasping desperately for air.

"Shit, Iruka," Kakashi cursed, immediately going to his lover.

"Ah,... _ouch_,..." Iruka groaned, clutching at the bed sheets so tightly his knuckles were white. He shook his head, trying to dispel the nausea, and choked out, "It's alright, just tell me what happened to Naruto. Is he okay?"

"Don't strain yourself," Dr. Tolman said quickly, approaching him. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. He must be down at the station, trying to get Sasuke out of police custody."

"He shouldn't be out of bed," Iruka protested "Those burns are never going to heal if he keeps this up."

"Actually, they're healing surprisingly fast," Dr. Tolman countered reassuringly. "I saw him before he left, and they're looking much better. I don't think this will detract from his progress too much."

"If you say so," Iruka muttered, beginning to settle slightly. "Are you going to go get him?"

"Unfortunately, I have to go back to the institution. But perhaps Kakashi can go?" Dr. Tolman suggested.

Iruka turned to him, eyes pleading. ."Will you?" he asked. "Just to make sure he's alright?"

"Of course," Kakashi promised, brushing the other man's hair back behind his ear. "You just go back to sleep, okay? I'll take care of it."

"Alright," Iruka mumbled, eyes closing at the feeling of his lover's warm fingers on his clammy forehead. "Be careful."

"I will," Kakashi assured. He turned to Dr. Tolman and said, "Thanks for letting us know. See you around, doc."

"Tell Naruto I'd still like to talk to him, if he'd let me."

"Will do," Kakashi replied, then walked out of the hospital, expression determined.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Go ahead and sit down, Mr. Uzumaki.," said the policeman gruffly once they entered. "Ron will be here in a minute to question you."

Naruto nodded and sat. The room was bare, except for a small table in front of him and a chair across from him, and the walls were a neutral brown. The blonde counted the cracks in them until he heard the door open and close behind him.

"Naruto, is it?" asked a surprisingly kind voice, belonging to a dark-haired man of average height with piercing blue eyes who walked around the table and sat across from him.

"Yes," the blonde answered stiffly.

"Are you comfortable? Would you like some water or anything?"

"No, thanks," Naruto declined, beginning to fidget. He hated all of this frivolous falseness. All he wanted was to get this over with so that he could go to Sasuke and make everything okay again.

"Alright, then. Let's get started." He set a folder on the table, opened it, and shuffled about with some papers. Then he grabbed a pen and asked in a business-like tone, "So, why don't you start by telling me what happened at the Konoha hospital?"

Naruto sighed. He was so tired of telling this story. So he said simply, "Sasuke and I had a fight. We were screaming at each other, and eventually I got so angry that I just shouted out the first thing I thought of that I knew would make him angry. That's it."

The man's lips pursed, as if he were thinking something over. He mused silently for a few moments, then asked slowly, "Why strangulation?"

"Excuse me?" Naruto asked, startled.

"Why was strangulation the first thing you thought to accuse him of?" the man clarified. "It's a bit of a rare charge."

Naruto stiffened; then he let out a puff of air and said quietly, "Look, I'm not denying the fact that Sasuke got physical with me during a fight before he took me to the hospital. But I'm not some–some chick getting beaten by her boyfriend," he said vehemently. He paused, debated whether he should go on with revealing their relationship, then finally continued, "Look, we're two _guys_, in case you all haven't noticed. Yeah, we fight, and he's hurt me, and I've hurt him. But I've roughed him up just as much as he's roughed me up, so if he's gonna get in trouble for this, than so should I."

Ron was silent after Naruto's speech, regarding him speculatively. Then he said slowly, "Well, there's something additional that's making us slightly wary to let Mr. Uchiha leave."

"What, the fear thing?" Naruto snorted. "I know, you all think I'm coming here because I'm afraid he'll escape prison and murder me for revealing his abusive behavior. Not likely."

"No, that's not it," the man said, voice serious. "It's because Sasuke Uchiha has a previous criminal record. Apparently, several years ago he was put in jail for the murder of his parents, at least until– "

"Wait, what?" Naruto spluttered. "But– but Itachi did that!"

"Well, they know that now. But back then, all of the evidence pointed towards Sasuke," Ron explained. "It wasn't until..." he leafed through some papers and read for a moment, then continued, "an ex-friend of Itachi's brought forth a disturbing journal detailing the planned murder that Sasuke was released and a thorough search was sent out for his older brother." He looked up and said regretfully, "Unfortunately, as the whole world has heard through the media, Itachi is rather elusive, and no one has been able to find him nor any other member of the Akatsuki gang since."

Naruto swallowed, trying to take in all of the information. He mused to himself, "So... so Sasuke was in jail during those years when..." _When I moved away...and that's–that's why he never contacted me._

"When... what?"Ron prodded, leaning forward. "Something's clicking in your head, I can see it."

"When I moved to a different part of the city, way across town," Naruto began, "I thought Sasuke and I would stay in touch. We hadn't gotten together yet, but we were friends, or so I assumed. He called me only once, though, and that was to tell me that he wanted nothing to do with me and that I'd better not try and contact him. At the time I was shocked and confused... but now it all makes sense. He has way too much pride to ever let me see him when he's vulnerable; so no wonder he never wanted me to know that he was in jail."

"Hm. Well, I'm glad I cleared that up for you, though I'm not sure your... friend, will appreciate the sentiment," Ron commented dryly.

"Well, he should've told me," Naruto said darkly. His voice softened, and almost to himself he murmured, "But...but I understand why it'd be hard for him; to expose a chink in his armor. He just doesn't seem to get that I don't _care_ if he's not perfect."

Ron gazed at him, then said calmly, "You love him."

"Of course I do," the blonde immediately replied, eyes shining. "That's why I want him out of here right _now._ He doesn't deserve to be here. I made a mistake. I don't _want_ to press charges."

"And I believe you," the man said simply.

"Then why can't you let Sasuke _go_?" Naruto asked, voice becoming desperate. "I told you I–

"Woah, there, let me finish," the man laughed. "I believe that don't want to press charges, and that's why I'm going to go get the papers you need to fill out in order to retract your previous statement."

"Oh...oh thank you," Naruto sighed, relief filling him completely.

Ron gave him a small smile and offered, "I can also bring back a certain someone, if you wish."

"He– he can leave now? They don't have to keep him here anymore?" Naruto asked as hope swirled up in his stomach.

"Well, I'm sure the police would _like_ to question him further, but as soon as you retract the charges, then yes, they're legally not allowed to keep him here any longer."

"Yes, yes, get me the papers," Naruto nearly shouted, so excited he could barely breathe. When the man chuckled and left, he could barely contain himself from dancing around the room.

He could fix this. He was going to fix this. It was all going to be okay.

He hoped.


	13. Worse Before It Gets Better

**AN:** Alright, so, I'm a little wary about this chapter.. it's a little, heavy. If that's the right word. It's just.. intense, and I don't want to offend anyone with the content, so if you're NOT okay with any of the warnings for this chapter, than please feel free to skip it. Thanks to all of the reviewers for the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one!

**Warnings:** Violence, sexual assault, cursing

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru

**Disclaimer: **Characters aren't mine.

Any feedback is appreciated! Enjoy!

--------------------------

"Mr. Uchiha, I have some good news," said Ron brightly as he entered the investigation room where the dark-haired man was being held. Sasuke didn't even respond; just gazed silently ahead, expression completely blank.

"Mr. Uzumaki has decided to drop the charges against you, which means that you're free to go," Ron announced, setting down the papers that Naruto had signed saying that his previous statements were false.

Sasuke barely reacted, only gave a small grunt and nod, not even glancing at the papers in question.

"Naruto would like to see you," Ron offered as he unlocked the handcuffs on Sasuke's wrists, a little unnerved by the man's lifeless demeanor and wanting to get some sort of reaction out of him.

Sasuke stood and said coldly, "I'll pass."

He walked to the door and Ron called out against his better judgement, "You know he feels terrible about saying that he wanted to press charges."

Sasuke paused, shoulders tensed, and said lowly, "Stay out of it. It's none of your business."

Ron shrugged, raising his hands in a disarming gesture. "I just thought you might want to know."

Sasuke merely grunted and opened the door, only to come face to face with his lover.

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed, before throwing his arms around the other's neck and squeezing for all he was worth. "I'm so sorry, you have no idea, I can't believe I did that– I was just so angry, and, and I'm really sorry, you have to believe me," Naruto rambled desperately into his lover's neck.

Sasuke put his hands on the other's shoulders and pushed him away, expression stony. "Don't," he growled.

"B-but, Sasuke–

"I said, don't," he repeated, voice dangerously quiet, before brushing past him and walking out of the police station. Naruto's lips trembled; it was falling apart, Dr. Tolman was right, he couldn't fix this–

No. He _could. _And he would.

He ran after his lover, sprinting out the doors and onto the sidewalk, calling out Sasuke's name as he caught sight of broad-shoulders and black hair.

"Wait!" he cried to the man's back as he raced down the street. "Please, Sasuke, wait! Just talk to me, damnit!"

He increased his pace, shouting incoherently all the while, and he must've said something right because Sasuke stopped and turned around and everything was going to be alright because those eyes were finally _looking _at him and he was going to fix this–

– but then he was falling, his ankle twisting painfully underneath him, and he hit the cement so hard he saw stars.

"Damnit, Naruto," Sasuke cursed, running over to his lover, all other issues pushed from his mind at the sight of the other man curled up on the ground, holding his ankle, face scrunched up in undeniable pain.

"Young man, are you okay?" asked a worried looking passerby.

"He's fine," Sasuke barked as he kneeled down beside the blonde. The woman backed off at his tone and walked away in a huff.

The dark-haired man turned back to his lover and asked lowly, "Can you stand? Is it

broken, do you think?"

"N-no, it's not broken," Naruto managed, "I think it's sprained, though."

"Alright, come on, then," Sasuke sighed, wrapping an arm around the other man's waist and pulling him to his feet. The blonde leaned against him, fingers curling in his shirt as he not so discretely breathed in the other's scent.

"I love you," he couldn't help whispering; it was automatic, organic, honest. Sasuke looked down at him, and for the first time since this whole mess had begun, his eyes weren't hard and cold; they were familiarly amused, smug, glittering. Perfect. Naruto couldn't look away.

"Hey, hey are you guys alright?" came Kakashi's frustrated voice, snapping them out of their reverie. "I've been looking for you all over!"

"W-what?" Naruto stuttered. "Uh– yeah, we're fine. I just, I just tripped like the clutz I am, and I think I sprained my ankle."

Kakashi came to a stop in front of them, breathing slightly harder than usual from the jog. "Good God, Naruto, can you stay uninjured for just one day? Please, for Iruka's sake?" he complained loudly.

Naruto swatted at him from his place in Sasuke's hold. "Shut up, it's not my fault Mr. Track Star here wouldn't slow down."

"Dobe, it's not my fault you can't you can't run without tripping over your own feet," Sasuke retorted. He shifted the blonde's weight slightly and said to Kakashi, "I'm going to take him home. Tell Iruka he's fine."

"Damnit, teme, what did I tell you about talking about me like I'm not here?" Naruto whined.

"Sounds good. Make sure he puts some ice on that ankle," Kakashi replied, smirking.

"Will do."

The three parted ways, Kakashi heading for the hospital, Sasuke and Naruto heading for home, the latter still held to the former's chest. The blonde, forgetting his momentary irritation, huddled close to Sasuke as they walked, savoring the feel of his lover's warm, muscled chest against his cheek and the strong arm wrapped around him, supporting his weight. They walked for what seemed like only seconds, and then Sasuke was helping him up the stairs to their apartment, opening the door and heading inside. Once there, he shoved the blonde unceremoniously onto the couch and headed for their bedroom.

"Oof," Naruto huffed as he hit the cushions. "Jerk!"

Sasuke paid him no heed, only proceeded to the other room, leaving the blonde sprawled on the couch looking rather bewildered.

"Sasuke?" he called, sitting up and glancing over to where his lover had disappeared.

No answer.

"Sasuke, I know you're mad, but come on," Naruto snapped. "Just talk to me."

The only response this time was the quiet closing of the bedroom door.

Naruto sighed and plopped back down on the cushions, preparing for a long wait.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Kakashi made his way back to the hospital, hands in his pockets and shoulders set in a characteristic slouch, happy he'd be able to tell his lover good news. As he passed by an alleyway he casually glanced down into the dark path, only to stop dead and hurriedly press himself against the wall in order to hide his presence. He peeked around the wall again to confirm what he had seen.

Dr. Tolman was speaking to Kisame, the two of them close and turned away from the alley opening as they whispered together.

Kakashi saw red. _Traitor!_ he automatically thought, having to physically force himself not to march down the alley and beat the shit out of both of them. He knew he couldn't take on two large men, despite how strong he was.

He leaned in closer, trying to make out what they were saying, and then suddenly Kisame turned and looked right at him. Kakashi cursed and turned quickly back against the wall, anxiously holding his breath. When he peeked around again, they were both gone.

"Damn," he muttered. He had to tell Sasuke.

HURTCOPEHEAL

It was an hour before Sasuke came out of the bedroom, and by then Naruto, after grumpily wrapping his ankle, had had enough time to work himself into quite a state.

"You can't even stand to be around me," he bitterly accused, watching the other man as he went to the kitchen and bustled around, an obvious dismissal.

"Goddamnit, Sasuke, just talk to me," he demanded, eyes blazing. Sasuke walked back into the living room with his dinner in his hands, not deigning his lover a response or even a glance.

"What, you can't look at me, either?" Naruto asked, staring searchingly at the other man's profile. When Sasuke merely took a bite, not so much as blinking an eye, white hot anger surged through the blonde and before he knew it he was grabbing the bowl of rice and chucking it as hard as he could at the wall across the room. It hit with a loud crash and shattered, pieces flying everywhere.

"What the fuck, Naruto?" Sasuke snapped, turning his head to glare heatedly at the other man. As soon as their eyes locked, though, the dark-haired man immediately looked away, unable to maintain eye contact with his lover. He quickly got up and began to pick up the scattered pieces, staunchly ignoring the hot gaze on his back.

"You can't, can you?" Naruto asked again, voice quiet and pained.

Sasuke didn't respond, simply carrying the pieces back to the kitchen, back set in an angry line.

Naruto bit his lip, completely at a loss as to what to do. When his lover came back through the door, still looking irritated, the blonde decided he'd have to be a little bolder. He got up, gritting his teeth through the pain in his ankle, marched right up to his lover and kissed him hard, lips moving desperately against the other's unresponsive mouth.

Sasuke, quickly getting over his shock, shoved the blonde away roughly and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he growled angrily.

"Kissing my goddamn boyfriend, that's what!" Naruto shouted, hurt at being pushed away.

"Don't do it again," Sasuke warned lowly, before brushing past him. Naruto grabbed his arm before he could get far and pulled him back towards himself.

"Please stop doing this," he pleaded, trying to lock eyes with the other man's elusive black ones.

Sasuke peeled off his fingers and said dangerously, "Don't touch me right now. Got it?"

"Why not?" Naruto cried, holding on tight. "Why can't I touch you? Why can't I kiss you? Why can'tyoueven–

"Because all I see is Itachi when I'm around you!" Sasuke exploded, pushing the blonde so hard he stumbled and fell to the floor. "Is that what you wanted to hear? Huh? That all I see when I look at you is my brother's smug and satisfied face when he sent me off to jail for my family's _murder_? Because that's the truth! I can't stand to be near you right now because you _disgust me._"

Naruto was barely aware of Sasuke storming out of their apartment; the words hit him so hard it felt like he could no longer breathe; all he could feel was the suffocating _hurt_ choking him and burning through his insides. Before he knew it, hot tears were tumbling off his eyelids and down his cheeks, and horrible, wracking sobs were fighting their way up his throat. He curled into himself and tried to stop crying, but the tears kept coming as the horrible words replayed cruelly over and over again in his mind. He'd never felt this kind of pain in his life.

The sad thing was, the only thing he wanted at that moment was Sasuke.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Sasuke ran. He sprinted down the street, feet pounding down the sidewalk, breath coming in short, controlled puffs as he struggled to quell the anger, the shock, and the...guilt. Despite the fact that what he had said to his lover had been true– the incident at the hospital _had_ made memories of his brother float viciously back to surface– he knew his words had hurt the man more deeply than ever before, and that made an uncomfortable swirl of regret twist in his stomach.

So he ran. He ran until all he was aware of was the bite of the wind, the feel of the road underneath his feet, and the deafening sound of his heart pounding against his ribcage.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but when he finally stopped, it was dark outside, and his head was clearer.

He had to go back. He wouldn't apologize for what he said– he'd only been honest with his lover– but he _would_ try and work things out with the blonde. He knew he'd need some space from the other for a little while, but he certainly still wanted to be with him, and Naruto needed to understand that.

He turned around and started on his way back home, enjoying the feel of the cool air on his hot skin. He was about half-way there when his cell phone rang. He pulled it out and saw Kakashi's name displayed on the caller ID.

"What's up, Kakashi?" he answered.

"It's Dr. Tolman," the other man immediately replied, voice quick and anxious. "He can't be trusted. I saw him with Kisame in the city earlier today and they were chatting it up like old pals."

Sasuke's eyes flared in anger. "What?" he hissed.

"Yeah, they were down in some dark alleyway, talking really closely," Kakashi continued. "I didn't hear anything, and they ran off before I could see much."

"Damn," Sasuke cursed, angry at himself for reading the man so wrongly; ordinarily, he was an excellent judge of character. "Have you seen him since?"

"No, but if I do, I'm sure as hell gonna give him a piece of my mind," Kakashi retorted angrily. "Listen, I have to go, but will you tell Naruto about it? I know Dr. Tolman was gunning to speak to him these past few days and I'm... a little worried. I have a bad feeling."

"Don't worry, I'll tell him," Sasuke promised, and already there was a feeling of foreboding washing over him as well. He hung up the phone and picked up his pace, sprinting all the way back home. When he got there he ran inside and shouted out Naruto's name, eyes roving quickly over the interior of their apartment, looking for loud blonde hair and not seeing it.

"Shit," he muttered, hurrying into the bedroom, then to the bathroom, then back to the living room, and finally into the kitchen, where he saw his first and only clue– a note, from Naruto. It read:

Went to the institution to talk to Dr. Tolman. Don't know when I'll be back.

There was a smudged out statement after that, and Sasuke had to peer closely to make out the faint shapes of the words "love you." He sighed, felt that horrible swirling in his stomach, the guilt twisting his insides and making him cringe at the image of hurt blue eyes that flared up in his mind. He firmly pushed the memory away; he had to worry about the other man's well-being at this point, and not about their crumbling relationship.

He hurried outside and got into his car; the institution was close by foot, but that feeling of foreboding was steadily increasing, and he knew he had to get there as fast as he could. He just hoped he wouldn't be too late.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Dr. Tolman, where are we going?" Naruto asked, his ankle starting to throb. "I don't mind if we're not in a professional therapy room. We can talk wherever."

Dr. Tolman grunted, looking a little distracted. "Don't worry, we're almost there."

"Okay," Naruto mumbled, continuing to follow him. Eventually, they stopped in front of a nondescript white door, and Dr. Tolman turned to look at him, something off in his gaze.

The man took a deep breath and said, "Listen, before you and I talk, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind speaking to one of my patients. You don't have to if you don't want to, but I think you could really help him."

"O-oh, um..." Naruto stuttered, startled. "Well, I, uh... I don't think I could be of much help to anyone right now, but I guess... I guess I could try. What should I say to him?"

"Just talk to him, about anything," the doctor gently instructed, looking relieved. "I'll stay with you the whole time, just in case."

"Just in case what?" Naruto asked, beginning to get a little suspicious.

"In case he gets upset," the tall man replied nonchalantly. "It happens. If it does, I'll be there."

"Alright," the blonde said slowly, an odd feeling twisting his insides. "Let's go."

The doctor opened the door and ushered Naruto inside, and then suddenly all was a chaotic blur. Naruto was shoved down to the ground; he heard yelling and scuffling shoes, then the slamming of the door, and he knew he was in trouble.

"Naruto," growled the now familiar voice of Kisame. "So nice to see you."

"Kisame, open the door, right now!" came Dr. Tolman's angry voice from outside. "This wasn't part of the plan! You said you just wanted to talk to him! Let me in, right now!"

"Dr. Tolman!" Naruto yelled, crawling desperately over to the door, where Kisame had set up a chair underneath the handle in order to keep it from being opened.

"Ah, ah, ah," Kisame warned, grabbing the blonde's collar and yanking him backwards. "I wouldn't do that."

Naruto scrambled to his feet and backed up against the wall, face set in angry apprehension. "Don't come near me," he warned.

"Or what?" the man snorted, stalking up to him. He sneered into the blonde's face and breathed, "Gonna get your big bad boyfriend to come rescue you like the little princess you are?"

"Fuck you," Naruto spat, shoving at his chest and attempting to slip under his arm.

Bad idea.

Kisame grabbed him by the neck and slammed him roughly back into the wall, causing his blisters to cry out in pain and his head to snap back and connect painfully with the plaster.

"You're not leaving until I've finished my job," Kisame growled, too close; his hot, sickening breath fanned out against Naruto's face, making the blonde want to vomit.

"Get _away _from me," Naruto said, voice beginning to get tremulous in fear; this man was so much larger than him– he was at least a foot taller and eighty pounds heavier. The blonde felt helplessness seep into his veins.

"What's the matter?" Kisame breathed, his mouth curved in a sadistic smile. "You scared?"

When Naruto only swallowed thickly in response, the man's eyes shimmered delightedly and he whispered, "You should be."

Before Naruto could even blink there was a mouth was on his own, and the blonde gave a shocked, muffled scream, punching out with desperate fists in an attempt to get the brute off of him; but it was no use, he was just too large– he pinned Naruto easily against the wall and tore at his lips, biting the skin and shoving his wet tongue deep into the blonde's unresponsive mouth. Naruto gasped in air, absolute terror filling him as he felt the acute reality of the situation set down upon him. He had no chance. Oh, God– he was trapped inside a tiny room with this lunatic and he was going to be– but then; what was that? he thought he heard–

"Naruto!" came the blessedly familiar voice of his lover.

"M-mf–Sasuke!" Naruto cried out, struggling out of the shocked man's hold. He made it halfway to the door before Kisame roared in anger, grabbed him by the waist and threw him roughly to the floor, his eyes that of an insane man as he began to tear off the blonde's clothing.

"Stop! Stop!" Naruto shouted, scratching at his shoulders, pushing, shoving, biting, fighting the man above him as fiercely as he could. "Help! Help me! Sasuke!"

"Shut up!" Kisame yelled, covering the smaller man's mouth and nose with one hand, effectively cutting off his breathing, while the other hand pulled at the blonde's pants until they ripped and fell. Naruto bucked and writhed, eyes going wide in panic as the other man's hands began grope bruisingly down his chest, his hips, his crotch; Naruto felt sickness rise in his throat, sickness and fear; he was utterly, completely trapped. Unless...

He rolled his eyes backwards, trying to catch a glimpse of the door, and was acutely relieved to see that he was only a few feet away from it. If he could just reach his arm up, he could probably hit the chair leg and knock it out from under the door handle...

His vision darkened briefly; he was suffocating, he couldn't breathe! but then Kisame's hand slipped a little, and his nose was free. He sucked in air and tried to pull his arm out from underneath the other man's heavy body, but Kisame moved one hand to clamp down on it, keeping the other still sickeningly active all over his body. Naruto, panicked, struggled desperately to pull the arm out from under the iron grip, but it was no use; Kisame was too strong. Naruto lay there, suddenly feeling utterly powerless as clammy, calloused fingers pressed too hard into his skin and slobbering lips followed in their path.

And then that hand suddenly moved lower to a place that no one but Sasuke had ever touched, and Naruto yelled without thinking, "Get off of me, you fucking psycho!"

At the last word, Kisame froze, whole body stilling like the calm before a storm; and Naruto realized he'd given himself his only opportunity– he hurriedly, frantically yanked his arm out from under Kisame's grip and knocked over the chair; the door immediately opened and then fists were pounding into his stomach, his head, his chest, his arms; he couldn't block them, the blows rained down on him with vicious ferocity and there was so much _pain._

Then Sasuke was there; Naruto caught a glimpse of his murderous black eyes right before the heavy body was yanked off of him and thrown into the wall. Naruto watched, too overwhelmed to move, as his lover sent punch after punch into the man's stomach; the blonde had no doubt Sasuke would've killed him had the security not busted in at that moment and pulled them apart. Two held a homicidal Sasuke steadfast in their grip while another two hauled Kisame off from his place sprawled on the floor and pushed him out the door.

Naruto shut his eyes and began to shake; the realization of what had just happened hitting him like a ton of bricks; he felt like he couldn't breathe. He was only vaguely aware of several people entering the room, of a blanket being thrown around his body, of voices and bodies clamoring over one another in a roiling sea of colors and sounds; it was too much, too much–

Sasuke wrapped strong arms around him, then, pulling him close to his chest and rocking him. "It's alright," he whispered into the blonde hair. "Calm down, it's alright..."

Naruto kept his eyes clenched shut, dug his fingers into his lover's shirt and held on; he was drowning, and Sasuke was his anchor. His breathing was too fast, too shallow; he could feel himself getting light-headed, but every time he tried to calm down, images of what happened washed over him in sickening waves of smells and touches and fear and–

"Shh," Sasuke breathed, feeling the tremors in his lover's shoulders, the gasping breaths against his neck. "Take it easy, dobe..." He stroked the blonde's hair and the other man huddled closer still, trying to hide from the chaos around him.

"I-I– fuck, Sasuke, I'm s-scared," Naruto choked out, stomach roiling.

"I know," Sasuke murmured, "But you're alright now, okay? Just try and breathe."

Naruto nodded, trembling, and hid his face in the other's chest while his mind and body tried to catch up with the overwhelming sequence of events that had just taken place. The dark-haired man tugged the blanket up higher on the other's shoulders, and looked up just in time to see a police officer heading right towards them.

"Sir, we're going to need to get a statement from both of you," he said, approaching the two men with a stern expression on his face.

"Look, we've already had enough happen for one day, alright?" Sasuke snapped, glaring at the man. "I'm taking him home, and tomorrow you can ask us whatever you want."

"We really should start now," the man stiffly replied.

"I _said_, I'm taking him home," Sasuke said firmly, arms tightening around the blonde. .

They stared each other down heatedly for a moment, and then the police man caved. "Fine, but first thing tomorrow, you both need to come down to the police station. Got it?"

"Fine," Sasuke agreed. Before the man turned around he quickly interjected, "Thank you, sir."

The policeman grunted and nodded, then went to Dr. Tolman, who was sporting a bloody nose from Sasuke's fist slamming into it only minutes earlier. Sasuke felt a distinct satisfaction at the sight of it, and had to fight back another vicious surge of anger towards the man; the doctor had risked Naruto's life for the sake of helping his patient, and for that the dark-haired man would never forgive him.

Sasuke turned back to his lover, staring down at the bent blonde head and the trembling shoulders, wondering how the hell he could have ever compared this man to his brother. _Naruto's...innocent. Pure. Itachi is _nothing_ like him, _he thought resolutely.

"Alright, Naruto, let's get out of here," he murmured against his temple.

"Y-you're not taking me back to the hospital, are you?" the blonde asked, alarmed, staring up at him with big, vulnerable blue eyes.

Sasuke made sure to look right into them as he said quietly, "No, dobe, we're going home." Naruto nodded, looking relieved, and leaned against his lover as the other man pulled him slowly upright.

"Okay?" Sasuke checked, fixing the blanket around Naruto's nearly naked body. The blonde nodded weakly, leaning tiredly against the other man as they began to make their way out of the institution.

"I've got my car," Sasuke said, gesturing towards it as they entered the parking lot.

"Good," Naruto mumbled mindlessly. They walked over to it and Sasuke opened the passenger door before helping his lover inside. Then quickly went around to the driver side and got in, glancing immediately over to his lover, who was staring straight ahead, unblinking.

Sasuke slowly reached out and touched the back of his head, causing the other to jump slightly and turn to him, eyes questioning.

"You're thinking about it," the dark-haired man said quietly. "Just try and forget for a little while. Get some rest."

"It's a two minute ride," Naruto pointed out, turning away again. "I can wait."

"I'll carry you if you fall asleep," Sasuke insisted. "Close your eyes." He kneaded the skin underneath his fingertips until he saw the man's eyes droop closed, then he started the car and began to drive home.

When they got there, Naruto was indeed out cold, and his blanket had slipped down to reveal naked, bruised skin. Sasuke's lips thinned as he remembered the frightened voice crying out from inside Kisame's room, and the sight of the insane man pounding his fists into his lover– and once again he wished he'd been allowed to murder the bastard.

Sasuke quickly got out and went around to Naruto's side, then opened the door and carefully lifted his lover into his arms. The blonde barely stirred, only burrowing deeper into his chest before settling.

Sasuke carried him up to their apartment, shifting his weight as he opened the door, then went to the bedroom and laid his lover down on their mattress. He removed the blanket and the scraps of clothing still left on the blonde, then pulled the coverlet over his body. Then Sasuke himself stripped down to his boxers and joined his lover underneath the blankets. The blonde turned over to face him, blue eyes blearily blinking open to gaze at him incredulously.

"You really did carry me," he mumbled, lips quirking up at the corners.

"Should I have left you in the car?" Sasuke asked, amused.

"No," the blonde sleepily replied. "But I could've walked if you'd woken me up..."

"Right," Sasuke snorted. "You were exhausted, dobe. I doubt you would've made it out of the car."

"Shut up, teme," the blonde slurred, eyes drooping closed once again as unconsciousness tugged at him. He was silent after that, and Sasuke figured he had fallen back to sleep, but then Naruto scooted close and laid his cheek against the naked chest of his lover.

Sasuke smiled a little and pet the blonde head, relieved that the other was behaving so normally. He closed his eyes to try and sleep, but after a few minutes he noticed how incredibly tense his lover was.

"What is it?" he asked softly, fingers playing in the other's hair.

"I–um... well, I..." Naruto sighed, and finally spit out, "I just wanted to ask you if you were okay with me being here. Because I can go sleep on the couch, if you want."

"What? Why would I want that?" Sasuke asked, remotely bewildered.

"Because I disg– I mean, I make you uncomfortable," Naruto mumbled in a small voice.

Oh. Realization hit Sasuke like a bucket of ice water. He sat up, bringing his lover up with him, and kissed the other man firmly on the mouth. Then he pulled back and began, "Listen, I–

"I don't want you to apologize if you meant what you said," Naruto interrupted, stubborn even when he was in pain.

"Don't put words in my mouth," Sasuke warned. "I wasn't going to apologize, because I _did _mean what I said." The other man's face fell, so Sasuke quickly continued, "But that was then. I was angry, Naruto. Your behavior _was_ very similar to Itachi's– petty; spiteful– and it brought back memories of him. But now, I don't feel the same way, alright? Today you exhibited some behavior so unlike him that I don't know how I could've ever compared the two of you."

Naruto looked away from him, biting his lip. "Yeah?" he murmured.

"Yes," Sasuke confirmed, grabbing his chin and turning him back to lock eyes with him. "First– you showed remorse for your actions and took steps to repair the damage. Itachi would never have admitted he was wrong, let alone have tried to fix the hurt he caused. Then, you cried out for help when Kisame was hurting you. Itachi is too proud to accept assistance from anyone, let alone ask for it." He leaned in and pressed his lips to the other man's, whispering softly against his mouth, "You're _not _him. You're nothing like him. I despise him, and I love you. Got it?"

Naruto nodded, relief flooding his veins, replacing the hurt that had been there so poignantly for the past few hours. He fell forward against the other man's chest, face pressing against the crook of his shoulder; breaths coming in long, even puffs of air as his body finally began to relax. Sasuke wrapped his arms around the blonde and idly stroked his fingers down the strong, tanned back. Naruto hummed in pleasure and curled closer to his lover, molding their bodies together entirely. The warmth of Sasuke's skin and the protective strength emanating off of him made Naruto feel, for the first time in days, completely at ease.

He fell asleep within minutes.


	14. The Aftermath

**AN:** Hm, I don't know what to say about this chapter. I'm not really happy with it, but meh. I'll leave it up to you guys to make up your mind about it ^^ It's just one of those days when I'm not crazy about my writing, but whateverrr. I'll just grit my teeth and post it. I hope you enjoy.

**Pairings: **Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru

**Warnings:** Cursing (as per usual), a tiny bit of violence, but not much; talk of violence

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

------------------------------

"Wake up, dobe, we've got to go," Sasuke prodded, shaking his lover's shoulder. The blonde groaned a little and turned over, pressing his face into the pillow and stubbornly holding on to the last vestiges of sleep.

Sasuke sighed, agitated, and urged, "Naruto, get up. They want us at the station as soon as possible."

At the reminder, Naruto's whole body tensed. "I don't want to," he mumbled petulantly. "Leave me alone, teme."

"You have to," Sasuke said firmly. "Your cooperation is the only thing that will put Kisame in jail where he belongs."

"I don't care, I don't want to do this," Naruto insisted, voice becoming a touch desperate.

Sasuke was silent for a moment, and then he quietly remarked, "This isn't like you– to run away from something."

"I'm _not_ running away," Naruto said fiercely, sitting up to glare at his lover.

"Then prove it," Sasuke calmly challenged. "Get up, go to the station, and tell them exactly what he did to you."

"I– damnit," Naruto cursed, unnerved by his lover's ability to effortlessly handle the situation. "Fine," he grumbled, moving to get out of bed. When he stood, he gasped a little; he hadn't felt Kisame's punches yesterday– he'd been too overwhelmed by the entire event– but he was definitely aware of them now.

"Hurt?" Sasuke asked, reaching out a hand to steady him.

"Yeah," Naruto replied through gritted teeth, tensing a little at the fingers on his skin.

"Let me see," the other man requested, turning his lover towards him so he could take a look at the bruises.

Naruto pulled away, suddenly feeling oddly uncomfortable with his nakedness. "It's okay, I'm fine," he said quickly, brushing past the man to head towards the dresser. "Let's just go."

"O..kay," Sasuke slowly replied, a little bewildered at the other's mood swing. He watched the other hurriedly put his clothes on and said bluntly, "You're acting odd."

"Thanks, honey, I appreciate that," Naruto responded sarcastically as he finished buckling up his belt. He headed over to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and ran a comb through his hair, then came back to the room, a false smile on his lips. "Are you ready to go?"

Sasuke didn't answer, just peered speculatively at the other man.

"What?" Naruto asked, self-conscious. "Toothpaste on my cheek?"

"No, dobe," Sasuke snorted, deciding to let it go. "Yes, I'm ready. Let's go."

They headed outside, where they briefly debated upon going by foot or by car, and finally decided that it would be best for Naruto's injuries to take the latter. They were there within minutes, and the blonde wished the town of Konoha wasn't so damn small. His hands began to shake as he opened the passenger door and moved to get out; Sasuke reached out and shut it before he could get anywhere.

"What?" Naruto questioned, turning to look at him. Sasuke wrapped a hand around the back of his head and brought him in for a tender kiss. Naruto, surprised, didn't respond for a moment, but then he came back to himself and softly moved his lips against his lover's, arms automatically lifting to wrap around his neck. "Mm," he murmured, pulling away slightly. "What's this for?"

Sasuke tucked a blonde curl behind the other man's ear and shrugged. "You looked tense."

"Ever the romantic, teme," Naruto quipped, but he leaned in to fondly kiss his nose anyway. He pulled back and they stared at each other for a few heady moments.

"You ready?" the dark-haired man breathed, eyes trained on his lover's mouth.

"_I _am, but it seems like _you'd_ rather sit here and stare at my lips, hm?" Naruto teased, leaning in for a few soft, lingering kisses. _This is how kissing is supposed to be, _the blonde thought randomly, mind abruptly bringing up images of vicious teeth and bruising lips. He pulled away from the other man, briefly terrified as the memory washed over him.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, noticing the change.

Naruto shook himself and swallowed thickly, then turned to face his lover, smiling reassuringly. "It's nothing. Come on, let's–

"What did I say about doing that?" Sasuke interrupted, eyes narrowing. "Don't fake that you're okay when you're not, alright?"

Naruto sighed, smile dropping, and leaned forward to rest his forehead tiredly against the other's shoulder. "You're right, I'm not," he mumbled. "Sorry."

Sasuke grunted, satisfied, and lifted a hand to rest on the other's blonde hair. "It's okay. Just...don't feel like you have to do that with me."

"I know; it's just a habit," Naruto replied, voice muffled against his lover's shirt. "I don't like people seeing me upset."

"I understand," Sasuke said, fingers absently threading through the strands. "What was it? That upset you just now?"

Naruto stiffened, pulling away. "Look, we should really go inside."

Sasuke nearly growled in frustration. "How are you going to talk to them about any of this if you can't even talk to _me_?" he asked, trying to make eye contact with the other's elusive blues.

"I don't know," Naruto said through gritted teeth. "I'll figure it out." With that, he pushed open the passenger door and got out. Sasuke followed suit, a look of irritation on his face, and the two of them headed into the police station.

"Hello, gentlemen, what can I do for you?" greeted the bulky-looking fellow who was manning the front area of the station.

"We're here for questioning concerning the Kisame Hoshigaki case," Sasuke responded.

"Oh, yes, you must be..." he flitted through some papers on his clipboard, "Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha?"

"That's us," Naruto brightly approved, forced grin lighting up his face.

Sasuke scowled at the sight of it. "Where do we go?" he growled impatiently.

The man's eyes narrowed at his rudeness, and he replied stiffly, "Down the hall, first door on the right."

"Thank you, sir," Naruto chippered. "Sorry about Sasuke, here. He's a little– ow!"

He was interrupted by Sasuke grabbing him by the arm and yanking him down the hallway.

"Come on, dobe," the dark-haired man grumbled as he dragged the blonde behind him.

"Let me go, teme!" the blonde crowed, peeling at the fingers futilely as he stumbled along.

"Stop acting like an idiot and I will," Sasuke sniped, pulling them to a stop in front of the appointed room.

"I'm not acting like an idiot," Naruto huffed, shoving the other man away from him and succeeding in removing the offending fingers. "_I'm _being nice. _You're_ being an asshole."

Sasuke's lips thinned and he looked away from the other man. "Whatever," he grunted. "Let's just go." He brushed past Naruto so he could open the door.

Naruto felt panic suddenly rush at him like a tidal wave, and he grabbed Sasuke's arm, pulling him around to face him as he whispered, "Wait, wait. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, please don't be mad. I need you in there. Don't be angry with me."

"Naruto, I'm not mad," Sasuke said, a little incredulously. Where was all this coming from? They always had little bouts of bickering; Sasuke would call Naruto an idiot, and Naruto would call Sasuke an asshole, and then they'd both be done with it. The blonde was obviously a lot more tense than he was letting on.

"You sure?" Naruto asked, grip lessening a little on his lover's arm.

"Yes," Sasuke repeated firmly. "Calm down, alright? You're going to be fine." He discretely stroked the man's fingers, then gently removed his hand, turned around, and opened the door.

"Nice of you two to finally show up," a tall brunette with a stern-lined face barked from his place behind a large metal table. "We've been waiting for your statement for hours now."

"We got here as soon as we could," Sasuke flatly replied, closing the door behind him.

"Sorry," Naruto added sheepishly.

"Alright, well, sit down," the man said agitatedly as he did so himself. "I'm Rich, and this is Anthony." He gestured to the short, stocky blonde sitting beside him. "We'll be questioning you today."

"Nice to meet you," Naruto said politely as he took a seat across from them, Sasuke following suit.

Rich grunted in response and said, "Let's get started. Mr. Uchiha, you can sit in for Mr. Uzumaki's questioning, since you were also involved in the incident, but while he is being questioned, you may not interfere in any way or you'll be removed until it's your turn."

Sasuke nodded dutifully. "Alright," he agreed.

"Now, Mr. Uzumaki–

"Naruto," the blonde corrected.

"Naruto," Rich amended. "Why don't you start by telling us what happened at the hospital?"

"Alright, well, I was originally going there to talk to Dr. Tolman," the blonde began. Sasuke stiffened beside him at the mention of the doctor.

"And why did you want to speak to him?" Anthony asked, voice surprisingly melodic and gentle.

"I... uh," Naruto hesitated, a little wary about confessing his anger issues. He looked to Sasuke, who gave the barest tilt of his head to signal his approval. He turned back to the men and continued, "He was evaluating me for a mental problem. For anger."

"Anger?" Rich prodded as Anthony scribbled something down on the papers in front of him.

"Yeah," Naruto mumbled, embarrassed. "I've been having some problems with controlling it lately, and he wanted to help."

"Alright. So you went to the hospital to talk to him, and then what happened?" Anthony asked.

"We walked down a really long hallway, and I told him that I didn't care whether we talked in a formal room or not; I really just wanted to vent to him and figure things out as fast as possible. But he insisted that we keep going. Then we stopped, and he asked me if I wouldn't mind talking to one of his patients before he evaluated me."

"He wanted you to talk to _his_ patient?" Anthony reiterated, pen poised to write.

"Yes," Naruto confirmed. "He was really vague about what he wanted me to say, though. He said to just talk to him, about anything.'"

"Hm," Rich mused. "Then what?"

"Well, at first I was hesitant, but it seemed like he thought I could really help, so I agreed. He told me that he'd be coming in with me, in case anything happened. Then we headed inside and... that's when everything went haywire."

"Try and explain to me everything that happened," Anthony instructed. "Every detail you can remember, I need to know."

"O-kay, well, it was all kind of a blur for those first few seconds after we got in the room," Naruto admitted, scratching the back of his head. "I was shoved to the ground, and I heard some sort of commotion behind me, and then the door was slammed shut. That left me alone with Kisame."

"How did you identify him?" Rich asked.

"I know what his voice sounds like," the blonde said darkly, wondering if these men knew anything about the kidnapping the year previous. He quickly added, "And I heard Dr. Tolman yelling his name from outside the room to let him back in."

"And is that all the doctor said?" Anthony asked.

"No, he also called out, 'this wasn't part of the plan; you said you only wanted to talk to him'," Naruto clarified.

"Okay," Anthony replied, eyes on his paper as he wrote. "Continue."

"So I tried to get to the door, and that's when I saw that Kisame had set up a chair underneath it so that it couldn't be opened from the outside," Naruto explained.

"When would he have had time to set that up?" Rich asked, gazing at him speculatively.

The blonde bristled a little at the insinuation that he was lying, then he realized that the man was just doing his job, and replied stiffly, "I guess when we first came into the room, the commotion that I heard was him shoving Dr. Tolman out and setting up the chair. But like I said, it was all a blur, and I didn't really see any of it."

"Okay," Rich responded, gesturing for him to continue.

"So I only made it about halfway there before he grabbed my collar and yanked me back towards him," Naruto began again, leaning absentmindedly towards his lover, who was still sitting calm and silent beside him. "I got to my feet as fast as I could and backed up into the wall, then told him not to get near me. He, uh..." he hesitated a little, then continued, "he said something like, 'or what? You're gonna get your boyfriend to come save you?' and--

"I'm assuming he was referring to Mr. Uchiha?" Anthony interrupted, staring at the two of them knowingly.

Naruto once again looked over to Sasuke in question, and the other gave the same minuscule movement of encouragement. "Yes," the blonde replied quietly.

"And how did he know about you two?" the stocky man asked.

"When I was kidnapped last year, Kisame was there," Naruto explained, "And I must've said something about us during it. I don't remember much about it, honestly."

"Ah, yes, the kidnapping case," Anthony recalled. "When it was revealed that Kisame may have been a suspect, he had already attempted severe mutilation and been put in the asylum. He was never questioned."

"Yeah, well, he was there," Naruto defended. "I'd recognize his voice anywhere."

"No one's denying that," Anthony said disarmingly. "So, he taunted you regarding your relationship with Mr. Uchiha, and then what?"

"Well, his comment made me angry– because I'm not some damsel in distress– so I shoved him and then made for the door again. I didn't make it very far before he slammed me back into the wall."

"Slammed you?" Anthony repeated, eyebrows furrowed.

"He grabbed me around the neck and threw me against it," Naruto impatiently reiterated. He hadn't realized that _every _detail was going to be so important. "He told me that I wasn't allowed to leave until he 'finished his job.' And then he..." the blonde paused, throat swelling a little in his throat in nervousness. He took a deep breath, trying to quell it.

"Then he what?" Rich pressed.

Naruto bit his lip and looked down, feeling suddenly irrationally embarrassed and ashamed. "He, uh,... he asked me if I was scared, and I didn't respond. He told me that I should be, and then..." Naruto trailed off, gulping. He _really _didn't want to do this. He hurriedly continued, "He attacked me, and then I heard Sasuke's voice outside and–

"Woah, woah, there," Anthony interrupted. "Describe how he 'attacked' you. As specifically as you can."

Naruto's fingers began to shake in his lap, and he wrung them out fretfully. "I don't..." He sighed, tried again. "He, uh– he started to– um–

"Get on with it," Rich demanded impatiently.

"He shoved his tongue down my throat and started tearing off my clothes, okay?" Naruto burst out, standing up in his chair as panic and anger flared in his veins.

Sasuke stood, too. "Calm down, Naruto," he said quietly, locking eyes with the blonde's frightened blue ones. "They're only trying to get as much evidence against him as they can."

Naruto breathed hard, still trembling faintly with adrenalin. "I-I know," he replied softly. "I know– I just, I don't...I don't want to do this."

"You don't have to," Anthony softly spoke up. "Konoha is pressing charges against Kisame for breaking out of the asylum regardless of what you decide to pursue personally. Your statement would just be a great help for our case. The revelation of this incident would certainly prove that he has the capacity to harm others and that he's fit for nothing less than a jail cell."

Naruto nodded shakily and took a deep breath, lifting his eyes to Sasuke's in uncertainty. What he saw in those black eyes startled him– there was a burning hot anger there, flickering behind the onyx surface, fighting to get free. The blonde's eyebrows furrowed; for a second he thought the man was angry with _him_, but then his lover, knowing what he was thinking, shook his head and murmured, "Not you. Kisame."

The dark-haired man stepped closer to Naruto and continued softly, "Listen, he needs to be punished. They may not win the case without your statement. I know you're uncomfortable, but I think you should keep going."

Naruto nodded, not taking his eyes off of his lover's. "Okay," he finally mumbled.

"Good," Sasuke said quietly. He reached out, as if to touch his lover's cheek, but then he abruptly remembered where they were a pulled away. The two broke eye contact and turned back to the policemen, who were looking awkward and uncomfortable in their places across the table.

"Alright," the blonde began slowly, sitting down once again. "I want to make sure he's put in jail, so I'll... continue with the questioning– but only if you let me go at my own pace."

Sasuke gave Rich a pointed glare at this point and sat down beside the blonde, pulling his chair subtly closer to his lover; a steady, secure presence at his side.

"I... apologize if I was too harsh," Rich said gruffly.

"It's okay," the blonde replied quietly.

They were silent for a moment and then Anthony said gently, "Alright, when you're ready, you can continue where you left off."

"Okay." Naruto took a deep breath and began to speak, voice soft and hesitant. "Well, when Kisame was doing...that, I heard Sasuke's voice from outside and I called out to him. I took advantage of Kisame's shock and tried to escape, but he tackled me to the ground. I remember that he looked...truly crazy."

"Hm. Could you describe that?" Anthony requested.

"I caught sight of his eyes," Naruto slowly replied. "And they were... just, gone. That's the best way I can describe it. It was like he'd lost all human parts of himself."

Anthony wrote that down, and then said quietly, "Alright, so he threw you to the ground. Was he still making sexual advances towards you at this time?"

Naruto gulped a little at the wording. "Y-yes," he murmured. He felt Sasuke lean towards him, and took strength from his lover. "He put a hand over my mouth and nose, so I couldn't breathe, and started...touching me, really roughly. It hurt."

"Where?" Anthony gently inquired.

Naruto's eyes briefly shut, and he felt a hand touch his knee. He reached down and laced his fingers tightly with Sasuke's, immensely grateful for the support. "All over," he finally replied. "My chest, my stomach, my... groin."

"Was the clothing on your lower body off at this point?" Rich asked, voice clinical and business-like.

"Yes," Naruto responded, avoiding the man's gaze. For some reason it felt accusatory, even though the eyes were perfectly stoic. "And he put his slobbering mouth all over me, too," he softly added, nausea lurching in his stomach.

Anthony's pen wrote furiously. "Then?"

"I almost gave up at that point," Naruto replied honestly. "But then I noticed how close I was to the door, and how if I could just reach up high enough, I could probably knock the chair over. I lifted my arm up to try but he clamped down on it as soon as he realized what I was doing. And then he..." Naruto trailed off; he couldn't do this. "Fuck, I can't," he muttered, fingers trembling in Sasuke's grasp. His lover ran a soothing thumb over one of his knuckles; he turned to look at the dark-haired man, needing the reassurance of those glittering black eyes. They stared back at him, warm and confident; believing in him.

"Take your time," Anthony said kindly.

"Would it be easier if we asked pointed questions?" Rich asked slowly. "That way, you'd just have to answer yes or no, and if you want to give more detail, you can."

"Alright," Naruto softly agreed.

"Did Kisame Hoshigaki force you to sexually pleasure him?" Rich asked, tone all business.

"No."

"Did Kisame Hoshigaki get farther than groping and kissing in his sexual advances towards you?"

"Yes." A whisper.

"Was there penetration of any kind?"

A poignant silence. Naruto clenched his eyes shut and mouthed, "Yes." He took a breath and continued shakily, "His fingers."

Sasuke tensed beside him, going utterly still in anger. Naruto felt guilt claw up his insides and couldn't make himself open his eyes. For a moment all that could be heard was the sound of pen rapidly moving against paper.

"You're doing great, Naruto," Anthony said sincerely.

"Thanks," he murmured.

After a moment Rich continued with, "Can you remember how many fingers it was?"

Naruto balked, trying to stand again; Sasuke gently pushed him back down and whispered, "He's doing his job. Just answer the question as best as you can, alright?"

Naruto breathed heavily, panic still hot in his veins. "Why is that important?" he demanded, voice a touch desperate.

"Rich, we've already got that there was penetration, let's just leave it at that," Anthony whispered to his partner.

"Yes, but–

"Leave it," the other man ordered in a surprisingly stern voice.

"Alright," Rich grumbled, turning back to Naruto. "If you don't think you can answer that one, then fine, let's continue with–

"No," Naruto interrupted, hating how weak he was appearing. He took a breath, felt Sasuke squeeze his hand, and said firmly, "Two. It was two fingers."

"Thank you," Rich calmly replied. "Now, after that did Kisame continue his sexual advances towards you in any way?"

"No," Naruto replied, voice a little more steady now that the worst of it was over. "When he did...that, I screamed at him to get off me, and I called him a psycho– which is the worst insult to Kisame. He went really still, and I realized I'd given myself an opportunity to escape. I pulled my arm out of his grip, reached up, and knocked the chair over. After that everything happened really fast. I heard the door open and then a split second later Kisame started punching me with every ounce of strength he had. He completely _lost _it."

"Where did he hit you?" Rich asked.

"All over," Naruto replied. "Like I said, he just went crazy. He swung at me as hard and as fast as he could, and he hit me in several different places."

"Do you have any bruises?" Anthony asked, voice eager.

Naruto nodded stiffly, not liking where this was going.

"Do you mind if we get some pictures of them?" the stocky man requested.

"Well, I... guess that would be okay," the blonde slowly responded. "Do you want Sasuke to take some and bring them in later?"

Rich reached into the briefcase at his side and pulled out a small digital camera. "We'd rather obtain the evidence here, so that way they can't say you tampered with it," the mans aid reasonably.

"But you don't have to if you're not comfortable with it," Anthony quickly added. "We can go off of your statement alone if that's what you want."

"No, no, it's alright," Naruto said, getting to his feet. "Just tell me what I need to do."

"Well, where are the bruises the most prominent?" Anthony inquired, grabbing the camera and standing as well.

"On my stomach, and my arms," the blonde replied. "I must've tried to hold them over myself for protection at some point, because they're pretty banged up."

"Alright, could you take off your shirt?" Anthony asked, then winced. "Only if you–

"It's fine," Naruto barked, tired of them treating him like he was some kind of fragile doll. Yes, he wanted to go at his own pace, but he didn't need to be coddled this way. He grabbed the hem of his shirt roughly and pulled it up and over his head, revealing his torso, which was dark and mottled with bruises.

Rich whistled. "He sure did a number on you, kid."

The blonde bristled a little at the "kid" remark, but was pulled back to the situation at hand when Anthony asked pointedly, "Naruto, what are those blisters on your neck?"

"Well, I–

"It was an accident," Sasuke quickly interrupted, blatantly breaking the rule given to him. "The stupid idiot fell asleep in the shower the other day, and I didn't realize it when I started washing the dishes in the other room. The water must've turned hot and burned him. He's a heavy sleeper, too– so he didn't wake up for several minutes. This was the result."

"Thank you, Mr. Uchiha, but I'm afraid you'll have to leave now," Rich said resolutely. "We gave you the conditions, and you violated them, so out you go."

Sasuke nodded calmly and stood to leave. As he passed his lover he gave him a pointed look, clearly communicating that the blonde should not deny his story. Naruto gave a tiny nod, not understanding completely but knowing that his lover had to have good reasons for his lie, and the dark-haired man left the room.

"Was that true?" Rich verified, eyes boring into the blonde's.

"Yes," Naruto said firmly, not looking away. "Sasuke hadn't realized that I was in the shower, and he turned on the sink that was connected to the shower head. When I woke up, my skin was like this." He gestured to the places where his skin was still showing symptoms of the burns. "Will it be a problem?"

"No, no, we'll just have to write down in your statement what the blisters are from," Anthony replied nonchalantly, motioning for Rich to do so while he began to take snapshots of Naruto's chest.

"Alright, now hold your shoulder up like that– yes, stay there," Anthony instructed gently, holding the blonde's arms steady as he took more pictures. "Okay, now turn to the side; he got you pretty badly right near your hip."

"Kay," Naruto mumbled, mindlessly doing as he was told.

"This bruise on your jaw, is that from Kisame as well?" Anthony asked, poised to take a shot of his face.

"I assume so," the blonde replied, fingering the area absently. He allowed the shorter man to turn his face to the side and listened to the clicking of the camera as the other took pictures from all different angles.

"Do you have a medical report of your injuries?" Rich asked from his spot at the table.

"No," Naruto said after Anthony was done with his facial bruise. "Sasuke took me home right afterwards. Do I need one?"

"No, but it would be helpful," the tall man muttered. "We'll get the station medic to take a look after we're done questioning, if that's okay."

"It's fine," Naruto agreed. "Is that–

Suddenly there was a loud 'thunk!' against the door, as if a body had been thrown into it. Naruto looked over, startled, and the two policemen immediately ran to it to open it up, only to move out of the way as Sasuke fell through the threshold and landed hard on the ground in front of them.

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried, running over to him.

"I'll rip you limb from limb for messing this up!" shouted Kisame from the doorway, struggling in two policeman's hold. "You ruined everything! I don't care what that snake Orochimaru says, I'm gonna kill you and your little slut too! Goddamnit, get off of me!" He writhed violently in their hold, eyes wild and crazed, trained on Sasuke's fallen form with murderous intent.

"Don't you even _think _about touching him again," Naruto growled menacingly, anger pulsing in his veins in that now familiar, almost soothing way.

Kisame's nostrils flared. "Or what?"

"Come on, that's enough," the man at his side gruffly ordered, yanking the man's arm. Kisame didn't make any move to cooperate, simply staring at Naruto, gaze suddenly vacant and a little delirious. A thin, insane smile lit his face; his lips were shaking faintly. "Or what?" he repeated, voice soft with tremors of laughter.

"Hey, get him out of here," Rich ordered, marching through the door way to help the two policemen.

"I'm not going anywhere," Kisame said, just as quietly, eyes still staring unblinkingly at Naruto.

"Oh yes you are," Rich retorted, shoving him forcefully backwards. "Let's go, boys. Get him to a cell."

"I said, I'm not going anywhere!" the man shouted, suddenly enraged; he threw himself out of the men's grip and began to run for it.

"Call back up!" Rich shouted, before sprinting after him. Kisame only made it a few feet before the tall police man grabbed him around the waist and called out for assistance. Within minutes the hallway was filled with people, all struggling to take down this crazed beast of a man. Finally, someone hit him with a tranquilizer; his eyes rolled back, his knees buckled, and he went still in their hold.

"Holy shit," Naruto breathed, trembling a little in shock. He turned to his lover, concern filling him completely. The dark-haired man's eyes were just fluttering open; he'd obviously hit his head.

"Are you alright? What happened?" the blonde asked frantically, helping his lover to sit up.

"I'm okay, I'm okay. Calm down," Sasuke soothed, shooing away his lover's fussing hands. He rubbed the sore back of his head ruefully and asked, "Where's Kisame? Did he get away?"

"No, they just caught him," Naruto said quickly. "Now tell me what happened out there!"

"I plan to," Sasuke said calmly, "But let's wait until Anthony and Rich get back, alright? They'll want to know what's going on."

"But–

"Just wait," Sasuke ordered. Naruto flinched and was obediently silent. The dark-haired man sighed and asked, "Are you alright? He didn't hurt you?"

"I'm fine," Naruto said, a little shakily, running his hands anxiously over his face. His lover reached out and gently grabbed his forearm, stroking it lightly; an offer of comfort and an apology for his snappishness. The blonde put his hand on top of the other's and squeezed, accepting both.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, we went as fast as we could!" exclaimed a breathless Anthony at the door. "Is everything okay? You're not hurt too badly, Mr. Uchiha?"

"I'm fine," said the dark-haired man gruffly, getting up quickly to his feet.

Bad idea.

He swayed dangerously, eyes going unfocused for a brief, dizzying moment. Naruto immediately steadied him, fear for his lover making his fingers shake against the strong back.

"Sasuke," he whispered, voice filled with concern. "Why don't you sit down for a bit?"

He turned to Rich and Anthony and asked pleadingly, "We're almost done with questioning, right? He can stay in here until then, can't he?"

They looked at each other, then Rich said, "Actually, we can continue with this tomorrow, after you've both gotten some rest, if you want."

"But don't you need to know what Kisame did to Sasuke?" Naruto asked, incredulous.

"There were plenty of witnesses outside that we can get statements from," Anthony replied soothingly. "Sasuke's can wait until tomorrow. Go on, go home. You guys deserve a break."

"Thanks," Naruto breathed, turning back to his lover. "I'm driving," he said firmly, grabbing the keys from out of Sasuke's pocket. "Let's go."

The dark-haired man merely nodded, and the two made their way out of the station, Sasuke's steps rather sluggish behind the blonde's.

"You're scaring me," Naruto murmured once they were inside the car.

"I said I'm _fine_," Sasuke irritatedly insisted, facing the window. The blonde sighed and began to drive, glancing over at his lover every few seconds, worry gnawing his insides. By the time they got to the apartment Naruto was one mass of nerves. They got out and the blonde looked over to see Sasuke get up, shut his door, and then suddenly drop like a fly.

"Shit– Sasuke," Naruto cursed, hurrying around to help him. The dark-haired man was on one knee, body bent at the middle, hands on his head, breathing shallowly. "Something's really wrong," the blonde said worriedly.

"Yeah, idiot, I've got a concussion," Sasuke snapped, glaring up at him with dilated, blazing eyes.

"I'm just trying to help," Naruto defended himself. "Now come on, let's get you inside."

"I can do it myself," Sasuke barked, flinching away from him and trying to get up.

"Damnit, Sasuke, let me help you," the blonde begged, fingers twitching to steady him.

"No," his lover stubbornly insisted. He got to his feet and began to walk wobbily over to the door, movements shaky and path weaving. Naruto followed close behind him, fully prepared for any problem the other might have. They made it all the way inside before one of Sasuke's knees buckled underneath him.

"Shit," the dark-haired man cursed as Naruto's arms caught him before he hit the ground.

"I've got you," the blonde whispered automatically.

Sasuke stayed still for a moment, pressed against his lover's chest, feeling dizziness and nausea wash over him. He scowled, hating this weakness, and said through gritted teeth, "Listen, I'm probably going to go unconscious soon. You need to wake me up every few hours. Do _not _let me sleep for more than four hours at a time, got it?"

"Okay," Naruto said, a little fearfully.

"Look, don't worry, it's probably just a minor concussion," his lover reassured, voice losing some of its chilliness after hearing the blonde's blatantly frightened tone. "I'm going to be fine, but we need to take all of the necessary precautions."

Naruto nodded and helped Sasuke stand and walk to their bedroom. Once there the dark-haired man laid down heavily on the bed and closed his eyes in exhaustion. Naruto moved to turn off the lights and leave, but then his lover caught his arm and pulled him back to sit down beside him.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, resting his hand on the other's shoulder.

"I just wanted to tell you," he began quietly. "That I'm really proud of you."

"W-what?" Naruto asked, startled, a blush heating up his cheeks.

"For today," Sasuke clarified, resting his fingers on the other's thigh. "You got through the questioning and you gave them a very detailed statement that I'm sure will help their case immensely."

The blonde idly played with the fingers on his leg, stroking the knuckles, the calloused skin at the tips. "Yeah, I guess," he mumbled.

Sasuke smirked a little at his modesty, and continued, "I'm serious. You did a good job. Really."

Naruto's lips quirked up in a genuine smile. "Thanks," he said sincerely, before leaning down to kissed Sasuke's brow, lips pressing softly against the warm skin. "Now get some sleep."

"Don't forget to wake–

"I know. I won't," Naruto promised. He sat with his lover until the other's eyes drooped closed and his breathing evened out in sleep. Then the blonde got up and tiptoed out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him and standing for a long moment in the middle of the living room.

He let out a long, tired exhalation, letting out the stress of the day, and plopped down on the couch to watch some TV. He turned on the news and let the noise wash over him, not even listening to the words, simply relaxing.

"Orochimaru, the most prominent client of the firm, has graciously accepted to do an interview with Channel 6 news..."

Naruto sat up straight, breath lodging in his throat, remembering Kisame shouting out the name "Orochimaru" at the police station. He immediately began to pay attention, eyes alighting upon a thin, oily looking man, with a sharp-angled face and long, graceful limbs. The blonde stiffened instinctively; the sight of him incited a deep, awful feeling in his gut.

"Hello, Orochimaru, thank you for being with us today," greeted the news anchor.

"My pleasure," the other man drawled.

"Oh, God," Naruto whispered. He'd recognize that voice anywhere. "That's him," he said surely, relief filling his veins. "We've got him. We've got a lead."

The puzzle pieces were all coming together. Finally.


	15. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

**AN: **Woohoo, another long one! This chappy's a bit crazy, but I hope you guys like it. Please read n review! Much love!

**Warnings:** violence, cursing

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru

**Disclaimer:** Charas aren't mine.

-------------------

"Wait, wait, run that by me again," Kakashi demanded, a rhythm beginning to pound against his temple.

Sasuke sighed, and repeated, "Dr. Tolman led Naruto straight to Kisame, and the bastard assaulted him. I got there just in time, and would've killed him had the security guards not pulled me off."

"Good thing," Kakashi breathed, shocked. "The last thing Naruto needs is for you to go to jail instead of Kisame. God, I can't believe that fucker hurt him again."

"_I _can't believe Dr. Tolman practically held his hand to get there," Sasuke growled, shifting the phone slightly against his ear.

"Fucking traitor," Kakashi spit, anger making his vocabulary slim down to mere curse words and insults. "I hope he gets put in jail too."

Sasuke grunted in agreement, then muttered, "Listen, I'm gonna go. Naruto's fussing at me to get back to sleep. Give Iruka our best, alright?"

"Will do. See you later."

"Bye."

Sasuke hung up then glanced up at his glaring lover.

"I'm not fussing," the blonde defended. "I'm taking all precautions, like you told me to do. You're not going to get better if you don't get lots of rest, take your medicine, and–

"Drink plenty of water, I know," Sasuke finished for him, tone slightly irritated as he continued sarcastically, "I _was _the one who told you all of that, remember?"

"Yes," Naruto mumbled, chagrined. "Sorry. I'm just worried. I don't want it to get worse."

Sasuke sighed and gestured for him to come closer. Once the blonde was sitting beside him, Sasuke reached out and began to rub his back.

"You need the rest more than I do," he remarked dryly.

"But I'm fi–

"No, you're not," Sasuke countered, fingers digging into the knotted muscles of his lover's back.

"Ah, ow," Naruto hissed at the contact, then relaxed as the knot loosened. "I am, though," he whined half-heartedly. "You're the one who–

"I can handle a tiny concussion, Naruto," Sasuke interrupted pointedly. "But what you've gone through– you need to be resting, not me."

Naruto sighed, closing his eyes as his lover's hand continued its ministrations on his back. "Kay," he mumbled, giving in.

"Lay down on your stomach," Sasuke said softly.

"That'll hurt," Naruto protested, arms going around his bruised middle.

"Hn, alright." Sasuke moved so that he was sitting behind Naruto and the blonde was in between his legs. "Better?" he breathed against his ear.

"Mhm," Naruto murmured, leaning back against the other's shoulder. Sasuke wrapped his arms around his lover's waist and rocked them back and forth for a quiet, tender moment. Then the dark-haired man pressed a kiss to his lover's neck, pulled back and began to knead the other's back once again, feeling the tense muscles quiver stubbornly underneath his fingertips.

"Feels good," the blonde mumbled, eyes drooping closed as relaxation began to seep into his veins like a sedative. It took about two minutes before Naruto suddenly snapped up, back ramrod straight, remembering the important news he had for his lover.

"What? Are you alright?" Sasuke asked, immediately taking his hands off of the other man.

"I'm fine– I just have to tell you something," the blonde said excitedly, turning slightly so that he could face his lover.

"Yeah? What is it?" the other man asked, absently reaching out to thread his fingers through the golden strands of Naruto's hair.

"I found out who the mysterious 'snake boy' was," the blonde replied brightly, grinning from ear to ear. "And now we can finally put away those bastards who took Iruka and I!"

"Really?" Sasuke asked, sitting up straighter as he too felt relief wash over him. "Who is it? How'd you find out?"

"When you were unconscious yesterday, right after Kisame slammed you into the door, he shouted out the guy's name," Naruto explained.

"And?" Sasuke prodded impatiently.

"Orochimaru," the blonde finished. "That's the guy. And I was just watching TV when they– Sasuke? Are you okay? You went all...tense."

The dark-haired man's nostrils flared in absolute, furious anger. "I know him, Naruto," he said through gritted teeth. "He was my big client last year when I was in Japan."

"O-oh," Naruto said slowly. "Well, that... makes a lot of sense. Remember my nightmare? He said he was one of your favorite clients."

"Favorite, my ass," Sasuke retorted hotly. "I hated the man, from the moment I saw him. I only tolerated him because it was my job, and my law firm's reputation, on the line."

"So... he was your client," Naruto mused. Realization dawned on him and he said excitedly, "That means you must have some dirt on him. That'll help us big time when–

"No, it means that he has an alibi, idiot," Sasuke snapped. "He can and will say that he was working with me on the case during the alleged kidnapping."

"Alleged?" Naruto bristled.

"You know what I mean," his lover replied agitatedly. "It's just legal talk."

"But he _wasn't _with you the whole time," the blonde reasoned. "He was there with me several times. I _know _it. You believe me, don't you?" His voice was angry and shaking a little.

Sasuke hesitated, then seeing Naruto's face he hurried to say, "Look, I know you're not lying, but from a lawyer's point of view, it's going to be very hard to prove anything with only voice recognition. The defense could go anywhere with that– they could say that the stress of the situation affected your hearing, or that you have something against him because of his previous connection with me, or that it's improbable for him to have gone from Japan to the United States so frequently within such a short amount of time–

"Okay, okay, I get it," Naruto sighed, leaning tiredly against the other man. "So... what does that mean? That we can't go after him?"

"No," Sasuke said quietly, stroking his lover's back. "It just means that it's going to be one hell of a fight."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Woah there, Mr. Hatake, you can't go in there just yet," said a tall doctor who was standing in front of Iruka's room.

"What? Why? Is he okay?" Kakashi asked rapidly, trying to peer over the man's shoulder and catch a glimpse of his lover.

"He's going to be fine, but right now he's still in a lot of pain," the other man replied.

"Why? He was getting better," Kakashi protested. "Did something happen?"

"Well, Mr. Umino decided to try and get out of bed when his nurses left his room a few minutes ago. He fell and landed quite hard on his broken arm, as well as jostled the rest of his injuries."

"Ouch," Kakashi breathed. "That's not like him, he's ordinarily such a goody-two-shoes."

"Well, lying this long locked up in a hospital room can do a lot to a person," the doctor said reasonably. "Anyway, he didn't set back our progress too badly. He didn't seriously hurt anything but his arm, which should still heal quite normally– he'll just have to be in the cast for a week or two longer."

"In other words, don't ream him out too badly for doing something so stupid?" Kakashi corrected, running a tired hand over his face.

"Yes," the doctor replied seriously. "Don't be too hard on him."

"Does that mean I can see him?" Kakashi asked hopefully.

"Like I said, he's in a lot of pain, and he probably doesn't want to see anyone right now," the man said firmly.

"Why don't you let him decided that?" Kakashi challenged.

They glared at each other, then the doctor finally sighed in irritation, "Alright, alright, I'll tell him you're here. But if he makes any protest, you're to stay out of that room, got it?"

"Yes, sir, thank you," Kakashi said sincerely. He waited for a few minutes, and then the doctor appeared once again, a small, amused smile on his face.

"He said you can come in, as long as you don't say a word," he said with a chuckle.

Kakashi, smirking, raised a dubious eyebrow and said, "Yeah, okay. I'll do that. Thanks again, doc."

"No problem. Let us know immediately if there's any trouble."

"Will do," Kakashi agreed, before stepping past the man and heading into the hospital room. _Shit_, he thought as soon as he saw his lover's face. His cheeks were red, flushed, and wet with tears, and his lips were bitten nearly to pieces.

"Kakashi," the other man whispered automatically, the name spilling off of his lips like a prayer.

"I'm right here," Kakashi soothed, coming around to the side of the bed and taking his lover's hand. Iruka squeezed his fingers in a white-knuckled grip.

"It hurts so much," he breathed shakily, twin tears trickling from his eyes as another wave of pain washed over him. He began to roughly bite his lips in an attempt to quell the distinct urge to bawl.

"Stop that," the white-haired man whispered, reaching over to gently stroke the man's mouth until it relaxed. "You're making them bleed." Kakashi got up, motioned for the other to scoot over, and laid down next to him. He then wrapped a careful arm around the other's shoulder, pulled him to his chest, and murmured, "Let it out, alright?"

Iruka nodded, turned his face into his lover's shoulder, and finally allowed the tears of pain to flood out, the wetness of them soaking Kakashi's shirt and dribbling down his cheeks in salty, slick trails. He'd never felt this kind of pain, it was like every injury was shouting out it's own private, throbbing agony, and he'd never wanted more poignantly to make everything just _stop. _

"Jesus, 'Ruka," Kakashi breathed, a little shocked at the ferocity of his lover's tremors. "Didn't they give you any medication?"

"Y-yes, but, it hasn't kicked in yet," Iruka choked out, sniffling wetly. "It'll b-be another few minutes."

"Alright," Kakashi murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to the other's head. "Hang in there, then. It'll be over soon."

Iruka merely nodded, the incessant _throbbing_ of his arm making him want to scream, it was so intense. For the next few minutes he tried to block out that horrible, biting pain, and focused instead on the warmth of his lover's chest, the thrumming of the heart underneath his ear, and the press of lips murmuring reassurances against his hair. Gradually his sobs settled into the occasional hiccup or gasp, and then he felt the soothing spread of numbness in his veins as the medication began to kick in. The pain soon became but a whisper in the back of his mind, and his muscles finally began to relax.

"Getting better?" Kakashi asked, threading his fingers through the thick brown hair and beginning to knead his lover's scalp.

"Yes," Iruka murmured, nuzzling into the other man's neck as warmth and drowsiness finally began to slip over him.

"Good," Kakashi said, immensely relieved that the painful ordeal for Iruka was finally coming to a close. He hated seeing the other man in pain knowing he couldn't do anything to fix it. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Mhm," Iruka slurred. "Till I..mn..fall asleep... please."

"Okay." He paused, then teased, "Am I in trouble for talking so much?"

"No, but you will be soon if you don't shut up and let me sleep," Iruka replied good-naturedly. Kakashi smirked, amused, and obeyed, spending the next few minutes stroking Iruka's hair until he felt the man fully relax against him, breathing slow and easy in unconsciousness.

"I guess I'll tell him what's going on some other time," Kakashi whispered to himself. He'd done the right thing– the other man had been so stressed out already, what good would telling him about those two idiots' problems had done?

He just hoped Iruka would see it that way.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Naruto woke up screaming. He swung out blindly, still caught up in his dream, feeling hot breath on his neck and bruising fingers on his skin. Terror filled him completely; he shouted and yelled, gasping for breath but unable to stop the desperate screams for help.

"Shh, Naruto," Sasuke murmured, standing well away from the panicked man. "You've got to calm down. It was just a dream. You're safe."

His low voice slipped soothingly into Naruto's terrified mind, and the blonde slowly began to calm; his rapid breathing evened out, the blind, rabid fear began to fade, and the horrible screams gradually transgressed into occasional gasps and whimpers.

"Alright?" Sasuke asked, stepping cautiously closer.

Naruto nodded, eyes still clenched shut.

"Can I–

"Yes."

Sasuke approached him and sat down on the edge of the bed; Naruto scooted over and fell heavily against his chest, still trembling minutely.

"Sorry," the blonde whispered automatically.

"For what?" Sasuke asked, running a hand through the other's hair.

"For acting like–

"Hey, don't," the dark-haired man interrupted, once again angry with himself for making the blonde so self-conscious. Naruto had gone through so much the past few days, and here he was apologizing for an _unconscious _reaction to a nightmare. Sasuke sighed, and resolved to fix the problem, saying slowly, sincerely, "It's alright. You...have every right to be upset."

Naruto didn't answer, simply let out a shaky breath and went limp against his lover, focusing on the feel of the strong arms wrapped around him and nothing else. Gradually, the vicious images in his head faded into darkness, and he felt calm surround him like a warm blanket.

"M'okay," he mumbled to his lover after a minute. "Thanks."

Sasuke gave him an instinctive squeeze, then pulled away. "Hey... you want to go somewhere?" he asked neutrally, watching the other run his hands through his tousled hair and fix his rumpled clothing.

"Hm?" Naruto asked, turning to face him. "Oh, uh, sure. You don't have to work on your case?"

"I can take a couple hours off," Sasuke said stiffly. "But, if you don't want to–

"You're cute when you're insecure," Naruto teased, reaching out to play with a stray black lock. Sasuke slapped at the offending hand and looked away, face heating a little. "Of course I do," the blonde whispered, leaning closer to press a lingering kiss to the other man's lips. "Where'd you have in mind?"

"The playground," Sasuke muttered, still avoiding eye contact.

"Aww, where we first met?" Naruto cooed. "Oh, honey, how romantic."

"Look, I said that if you didn't want to go," Sasuke began, irritated.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry," Naruto said earnestly, wrapping a hand around the other's neck and kneading the skin there tenderly. "Yes, as long as your head is feeling better, then I'd love to."

"Alright. Well. Be ready in a half hour."

With that, Sasuke left, and Naruto snickered.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"I'm here to see Dr. Tolman," Kakashi informed the nurse at the front desk.

"Ah, do you have an appointment?" she asked sugar-sweetly, blinking up at him with made up eyes and a forced grin.

"It's alright, Sarah, I can take him," Dr. Tolman said as he appeared behind her. Kakashi just _barely _held in a smirk at the sight of his black and blue face and swollen, crooked nose. He settled with a faint glare and a muttered,

"Yo, doc. Nice look."

"Hello, Mr. Hatake, nice to see you," the tall man said politely, ignoring his comment and gesturing for him to follow. "Why don't we go talk somewhere?"

"Are you going to lead me right to a psychopathic murderer?" Kakashi asked sharply, unable to resist the barb.

Dr. Tolman's eyes flashed, and he said angrily, before he could even think about it, "Listen, Kakashi. You came to see _me_– I didn't come to _you. _I'm doing you a favor by taking the time to speak with you, so if you'd please show me just an _ounce_ of respect, I'd appreciate it."

Kakashi was a little shocked at the ordinarily tepid man's outburst, but snorted nonetheless, "Respect? Respect for a man who nearly–

"Look, we can talk in private, or not at all," Dr. Tolman interrupted, voice back to that effortless calm. "Take your pick."

Kakashi shrugged. "Fine, lead the way. Do your worst."

They walked down the hallway and into a small, nondescript room with a bed and two chairs. They sat down, and Kakashi immediately began firing questions.

"What the hell were you thinking, leading Naruto to Kisame like that?" he asked, glaring at the other man.

"Look, I was only trying to help my patient," the doctor replied, running a tired hand over his face and through his hair. "Believe me, I never intended for Naruto to get hurt."

"You _saw _what happened the last time Naruto was in Kisame's vicinity," Kakashi retorted. "What made you think this time would be any different?"

"I _thought_ I would be there to facilitate," Dr. Tolman reasoned. "I never expected Kisame to react the way he did."

"You should have told Naruto what he was getting into," Kakashi stubbornly insisted. "He would never have agreed to talk to your mysterious 'patient' had he known it was Kisame."

"I agree, I shouldn't have been so vague about it," the other man conceded. "But I really got the impression from Kisame that he thought Naruto could help him."

"What, during your nice little chat in downtown Konoha?" Kakashi asked calmly, raising a questioning eyebrow at the doctor.

"W-what?" he spluttered, a little surprised at the accusation. "How'd you know about that?"

Kakashi shrugged vaguely. "Doesn't matter. Why don't you tell me what you were doing with a state institution escapee?"

"This isn't an investigation," Dr. Tolman bristled. "And what goes on between my patient and myself is confidential."

"Yeah, well, not when it involves my friends," Kakashi replied, expression growing angry.

"Listen, I'm sorry Naruto got hurt," the other man said sincerely. "But that was not my intention. I was only looking out for my patient's well-being."

"So you've said," Kakashi snapped. "But your behavior was suspicious, and the police are going to question you. If you had anything to do with this, they'll find out about it."

"I realize that," Dr. Tolman said. "But that's _their _job to find that out, not yours."

"Fair enough," Kakashi conceded. "But I swear, if I get word that you _did _have something to do with this–

"I wouldn't finish that statement," the doctor said quietly. "You threatening me is not going to do anything to help Naruto's case against Kisame."

"And_ you_ want to protect the probability of Naruto winning?" Kakashi asked, sarcasm thick in his voice.

"Yes, I do," the doctor said frankly. "I agree with you that Kisame needs something more intense than an asylum. He's beyond the reach of our help at this point. There was nothing more we could have done for him here– and not to mention, he was becoming a serious detriment to the other patients' progress."

"O-oh," Kakashi replied, not expecting that answer. "Well, I'm glad you see it that way. That bastard deserves nothing less than a jail cell for the rest of his life."

The doctor sighed, and said honestly, "Forgive me if I cannot share your vehemence on that front. I know Kisame's mental state, and putting him in jail _will _be the death of him."

"Good," Kakashi retorted. "That'll save us the trouble of having to fight for the penalty."

Dr. Tolman shook his head sadly and got to his feet. "Well, I'm afraid I can't stay and chat," he said, but his voice held no genuine regret. "I'll see you out."

Kakashi smirked and stood as well. "Lead the way, doc."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Sasuke?" Naruto began quietly, stroking the man's thigh. They were sitting together in front of the swings, watching the sun set.

"Hn?" the other man grunted, taking his eyes off of the purpling sky to glance over at his lover.

"Will you... tell me what it was like when you were in jail?" the blonde asked cautiously.

Sasuke stiffened beside him and agitatedly replied, "Why does it matter?"

"Easy tiger," Naruto said disarmingly. "I just want to know. I hate being kept in the dark about a huge part of your life."

"It was only for a couple years," Sasuke snapped. "It's really not a big deal."

"It is to me," Naruto said firmly, squeezing his leg. When his lover didn't answer, he sighed, and continued softly, "Do you remember that phone call, when you told me you wanted nothing to do with me anymore? Do you have _any_ idea how much that hurt? I don't think it's a crime for me to want to know why you did that."

"Guilt tripping me, dobe?" Sasuke asked, turning dangerous eyes on him.

Naruto looked away, feeling a little guilty now himself. "Look, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But I'd really like to know. It wouldn't change in the least the way I feel about you."

"I didn't think it would," Sasuke retorted, but there was something off in his tone. He continued quickly, "Look, it really wasn't a big deal. I stayed in a cell, got out to eat, then came back in. It was pretty monotonous."

"You didn't get into any fights or anything?" Naruto asked, excited that the man was finally opening up to him.

Sasuke shrugged. "Here and there. Nothing major."

"You're being vague," Naruto said sulkily. "Why can't you just–

"Well what do you want me to say?" Sasuke snapped. "Want me to tell you how I _felt _or some shit like that?"

"_No_, I just want you to open up to me for once," Naruto replied hotly. "You're supposed to trust me and yet you always–

"It fucking sucked, alright?" Sasuke exploded, pulling away from the other man and angrily getting to his feet. "It sucked coming home to the mutilated bodies of my parents and the sight of my brother grinning down at them holding the knife that _killed_ them. It sucked not understanding that when he made me hold the hilt of the knife he was trying to get my fingerprints on the _murder weapon_! And it _sucked _seeing his snide, smirking face when the police cuffed me and hauled me off to jail for a crime _I _didn't commit." He stopped, breathing hard, eyes fierce and blazing as he continued harshly, "Is that what you wanted to hear, Naruto? Huh?"

"Sas–Sasuke," Naruto breathed, standing as well, stretching out a hand in cautious comfort.

"_Don't _touch me right now," Sasuke warned lowly, flinching away from his hand, voice as cold as ice.

"But– but I just want to help. Please don't block me out, Sasuke," Naruto begged, reaching out again and succeeding in touching the other's shoulder. Sasuke balked, shoving the blonde hard and snarling,

"I _said _don't touch me."

Naruto stumbled backwards with the force of the push and hit the ground with a thud, yelping a little as his many injuries were jostled. He grit his teeth and immediately got back to his feet, words hot on his tongue when he realized with a start that he was staring at nothing but open air.

"Damnit, Sasuke," he cursed, glancing around rapidly to try and catch a glimpse of his lover. When his eyes revealed nothing he began calling out for the other man, doing so for a few long, frustrating minutes before finally giving up and settling back onto the ground to wait for the other to cool down and come back again.

Two hours later, and Naruto was still alone, cold and shivering in the night air. He was angry, frustrated, a little guilty, and freezing, but he was determined to wait until Sasuke returned. His teeth began to chatter and he bit down resolutely, trying to quell it. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him, and he whirled around, relief filling him completely– only to come face to face with one Orochimaru.

"W-what are you doing here?" he asked, scrambling to his feet, fear gripping his heart at the sight of the man who had done so much damage to him the year before.

"Taking a stroll," Orochimaru drawled, posture mockingly relaxed in comparison to Naruto's stiff, tense demeanor. "What are _you _doing all alone in the dark on such a cold night?" His tone still wielded that same falsely sweet tenor as it had during the kidnapping, and at the sound of it, Naruto thought he was going to be sick.

"I was just leaving," the blonde said quickly, stepping forward and attempting to brush past the man. Orochimaru harshly grabbed his arm and pulled him back towards him, all pretense of politeness gone.

"I wouldn't do that," he growled, eyes glittering in amusement at the blatant fear in the other's face.

"Let me go," Naruto demanded, trying to sound more confident than he felt. He knew what heinousness this man was capable of, and the knowledge of that in tandem with the memories ravaging his mind was making it hard to concentrate.

"I just want to talk," Orochimaru said innocently, an ironic statement when his fingers were still digging painfully hard into the other's arm.

"I have nothing to say to you," Naruto spat, yanking futilely at his trapped limb.

"I think you do," the other man said lowly, pulling him so close that Naruto could feel his breath on his cheek. At the sensation Naruto began to struggle in earnest, familiar panic spreading through him like wildfire.

"Get off me!" he shouted, twisting desperately in the other's iron grip. "Help! Sasuke! Mmf–"

Orochimaru slapped his other hand over the blonde's mouth, squeezing his jaw hard enough to bruise. "Shut up and listen to me," he growled forcefully. "You are _not _going to press charges against Kisame, and you are going to convince the police to drop charges as well, or else I will make sure that you never see Sasuke Uchiha ever again."

Naruto gave an angry, muffled shout and struggled wildly, pushing against the man and swinging his feet out in an attempt to strike him.

"Stop that!" Orochimaru demanded, taking his hand off the other's mouth, drawing it back and smacking the blonde's face as hard as he could. Naruto's head snapped to the side and he gasped for air, panic and adrenalin racing through his veins as vicious pain spread through his face.

"Fuck you," he shouted, rearing back and head-butting the long-haired man.

Very, very bad idea.

"You little brat!" Orochimaru roared, grabbing Naruto by the hair with one hand and crashing a balled fist into his stomach. The blonde's body bent double, the wind knocked out of him. He spluttered and coughed, gulped in a breath of air, and then a knee was thrown into his groin, and he saw stars. His knees buckled underneath him and he curled into himself, the pain unimaginably intense.

Orochimaru dug his fingers into his hair and snapped his head backwards, exposing his bloodied face and still mottled neck. Then he spat, saliva spraying over the blonde's forehead and cheeks; the liquid slid sickeningly down the tanned face and Naruto gagged, nearly vomiting all over the sidewalk.

"You will do as I say," the long-haired man demanded, shaking the smaller man by the hair emphatically. "Right? Answer me!"

"N-no," Naruto rasped stubbornly. "Kisame deserves to go to– agh–

A knee slammed into his lower back, causing him to jolt forward, coughs bursting out of him at the pain of it.

"I _said _you–

Suddenly he cut off, and cursed under his breath.

He leaned down and whispered, "Believe me, you'll regret it if you don't obey my orders." Then he gave the blonde one last parting blow to the stomach, and walked swiftly out of the playground.

The pain in his abdomen caused Naruto to double over even further, and this time he did vomit, body heaving and breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

"Holy shit, dude, you alright?" came a voice from somewhere behind him. Naruto could only shake his head as another wave of pain and nausea washed over him.

"Who the hell did this to you?" the boy asked, kneeling down next to him and reaching out to help him. Naruto flinched violently away from his touch, turning to look at him with wild, panicked eyes.

"Woah, woah, calm down, I'm not gonna hurt you," the brunet teen soothed, raising his hands up innocently.

Naruto nodded shakily and wiped his mouth on his sleeve, then attempted to get to his feet.

"Hey not so fast," the teen quickly intervened, reaching out again to gently ease Naruto back to the ground. "You're never going to get anywhere when you're like this. Why don't I call someone to come get you?"

Naruto hesitated, then reluctantly nodded, knowing that the kid was right– he wouldn't make it very far at this point. He heard the other pull out his cell phone and ask for the number, then he quickly recited it and waited to hear the teen begin to talk to his lover.

HURTCOPEHEAL

It had been two hours since Sasuke had left Naruto at the playground, and the dark-haired man, despite his lingering irritation, was beginning to get a little...worried. The blonde hadn't shown up at the house yet, and Sasuke was starting to wonder if the idiot was still waiting for him at the playground. _I wouldn't be surprised, _he thought derisively.

"Well, if that's actually the case, than the stupid dobe deserves to be out there for hours," Sasuke muttered, but without much feeling. Something about the entire situation was giving him a bad vibe, and he was never one to distrust his intuition. He weighed his options for a moment, then got up, and was in the middle of putting his jacket on when his phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and answered irritatedly, "Hello?"

"Uh, hey, man," said a hesitantly friendly voice that Sasuke didn't recognize. "I just wanted to let you know that, uh– hey, what's your name again? Oh, um, your friend Naruto's roughed up pretty badly. I found him in the playground on the corner of–

"I know where it is," Sasuke barked, already heading out the door, pulling the other sleeve of his jacket up over his shoulder as he went.

"Sheesh, okay. Just trying to help."

"Thanks for the information," Sasuke said stiffly. "I'll be there soon. Could you stay with him until then?"

"Aw, well, I had plans– but I guess I could help ya out," he reluctantly agreed.

"I appreciate that," Sasuke replied sincerely, before hanging up and hurrying down the street towards the playground. Any and every issue with his lover disappeared as concern for Naruto throbbed at the forefront of his mind. _He'd better be okay._

HURTCOPEHEAL

"He's gonna be here soon," the brunet informed Naruto, who had yet to uncurl from his fetal position on the ground.

"Kay," the blonde whispered. "Thanks a lot."

"Eh, no worries," the other replied. "By the way, the name's Kiba. I'm new around town."

"M'Naruto," the blonde mumbled. "Sorry bout the bad welcome."

"Aw, nah, what coulda been better than finding a guy beaten to a pulp in the middle of a playground, of all places?" Kiba asked, grinning a little. Naruto chuckled, then hissed in pain and quieted. Kiba winced, and inquired quietly, "So what happened? Who did this to you?"

Naruto hesitated visibly, echoes of the threats Orochimaru playing in his mind, then quickly covered, "I-I don't know who it was. His face was covered up. He came up and tried to steal my wallet, but I fought back and...this is what happened."

"Mm," Kiba mused. "I didn't take this to be a very violent part of town. Playground, and all."

Naruto didn't answer, in too much pain to do so, but gave a half-hearted shrug in response.

"Sorry, I won't make you talk," the brunette reassured, sitting back on his heels and shoving his hands in his pockets. He was silent for a moment before he muttered resentfully, "Damn, it's cold outside."

Naruto nodded in agreement, shivering as the frigid breeze passed over his skin, gritting his teeth against the cold as well as the incessant throbbing of his stomach. "Yeah, it is," he murmured. "I'm sorry, you really don't have to stay."

"Oh yes I do," Kiba retorted. "Whoever that guy was that you asked me to call– I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley, let's just leave it at that."

At this comment, Naruto smiled a little. "That definitely sounds like Sas–

"Naruto!" came the familiar voice of his lover, filling Naruto with immediate relief. He heard the sound of thundering footsteps and then he was being turned over by powerful hands to face midnight hair and concerned black eyes. "Where are you hurt?" Sasuke asked, hands pressing into Naruto's arms and chest, searching for obvious injuries. "I need you to tell me where you were hit and where the pain is most prominent, alright?"

Naruto didn't answer for a moment, still caught up in the realization that his lover was _here_, then he shook himself out of it and rasped, "My stomach. Hurts a lot."

Sasuke pulled up his lover's shirt and his lips thinned at the quivering, bruised skin in front of him. "We need to take you to the hospital," he said firmly, sliding the shirt back down and moving to help the other to his feet.

"Nuh–no," Naruto protested, slapping weakly at his lover's hands. "I want to go home. Please."

"Naruto," Sasuke warned, frustrated with the other's persistent stubbornness.

"Please," Naruto said again, voice desperate this time; Sasuke was surprised to see wetness rise up in those blue eyes and dribble down his cheeks in wet, shining trails. "I just want to go _home._"

"Alright," Sasuke murmured, giving in at the sight. "Alright, come here." He wrapped one arm around the blonde's neck and the other under the crook of his knees, then hefted him against his chest and stood, feeling his lover whimper against his neck at the sharp movement. He turned to leave, but then he remembered Kiba and he said over his shoulder, "Thanks for all your help, kid."

"Yeah, uh...no problem, dude," Kiba waved it off, getting to his feet as well. "See you 'round, Naruto. Hope you feel better. Watch out for those playground muggers!"

The blonde didn't respond, for he was nearly unconscious against Sasuke's chest, but Kiba grinned and waved to him anyway before running off. After that Sasuke walked home, Naruto held tightly against him all the way. When they got there, the blonde was only somewhat conscious, mumbling a little and coughing every now and then. Sasuke brought him to the bathroom and set him down carefully on the counter of the sink, wanting to wash off his grimy, bloodied face. He grabbed the softest towel he could find, ran it under some warm water, and gently rinsed his lover's skin, watching the miserable-looking blonde sit mindlessly through the treatment.

"Tell me what happened," Sasuke said quietly once he was finished. He went to put the towel in the hamper, but then Naruto grabbed his arm and brought it back.

"You didn't get it all off," Naruto softly accused, fingers shaking as he brought the towel to his face and began to scrub the places where he'd felt Orochimaru's saliva. After a minute he was scrubbing his skin as hard as he possibly could, swipes rough and unforgiving as he tried desperately to erase the horrible crawling feeling thrumming underneath his skin.

"Woah, easy," Sasuke said, alarmed, trying to peel the towel out of Naruto's grip.

"It's still there!" Naruto shouted, struggling to keep hold of the towel, wanting to scrub his skin until he couldn't feel the filth anymore. Sasuke finally succeeded in yanking the cloth away, and the momentum of his pull sent Naruto careening into his chest; he caught him easily, and went to prop him back up but then he felt hot tears spill onto his neck and the shoulders of his lover began to rattle with sobs.

"Naruto," Sasuke sighed, bringing his arms up to wrap around the man's trembling body. "Calm down... it's alright."

"I-If Kiba hadn't of– hadn't of shown up," Naruto gasped out, the gravity of the situation finally hitting him. "I wouldn't–wouldn't be here..."

"Don't think about what ifs," Sasuke whispered against the other's temple. "Whatever happened, you're okay now. It's over."

Naruto shook his head emphatically and pulled back, shining eyes wild and panicked. "But it's not over, Sasuke. Not until we retract our statements from the police and get them to drop charges against Kisame."

"_What_?" Sasuke reiterated, incredulous, reaching up to feel the other's forehead. It was normal temperature. "What the hell are you talking about, dobe? He nearly–

"I know what he did!" Naruto exploded. "But I can't _do _this anymore." He reached forward to grab the other's shoulders, fingers curling around his lover's shirt in a white-knuckled grip, and said in a tremulous voice, "I'm _done._"

Sasuke reached his hands up to loosen Naruto's hold, letting his fingers rest on the other's as he said quietly, "You can't just give up. You're not a coward, so don't start acting like one."

Naruto's head fell to his chest and he swallowed thickly, completely overwhelmed. "I don't know what else to do," he murmured helplessly.

Sasuke squeezed his lover's hands. "You can continue helping the police put Kisame in jail."

Naruto stiffened and firmly shook his head. "No, w-we can't. We have to forget about it."

Sasuke sighed, frustrated. "What brought this on, Naruto? You wanted to help with the case earlier today."

The blonde was silent for a moment, and then he mumbled, "I didn't get mugged. It was Orochimaru. He–

"Goddamnit," Sasuke cursed, pulling away from his lover. "I'll fucking _kill _him."

"N-no!" Naruto shouted, panicked, reaching out to grab Sasuke, leaning too far forward and suddenly falling– his lover caught him before he hit the ground and settled him down against the tiles. Naruto latched onto him and pleaded, "Please don't do anything, okay? Just...just stay. Please."

"Naruto," Sasuke warned, but the sight of those panicked blue eyes was already swaying him. They stared at each other for a long, intense moment, then the dark-haired man sighed and said, "Alright, we'll talk about it later. For now let's get you some ice and medication and let you lie down for a while."

"Kay," the blonde agreed, relieved. Sasuke lifted him to his feet and helped him over to the bed, and was heading back to the doorway when he heard Naruto soft but firm voice begin to speak.

"Don't you _ever _leave me like that again, teme," he said chillingly. "I'm sorry if I pushed you too hard about your past, but you shouldn't have run away from the situation. We could've talked it out, if you had just let me in."

Sasuke's teeth gnashed together, lips thinning in a scowl as he stiffly, reluctantly admitted, "I know, Naruto. I made a glaring mistake that nearly cost you your life, and I'm sorry. I regret it."

"I believe you," Naruto said gently. "And I love you. I'd love you even if worse things had happened. I don't blame you for Orochimaru's actions. I just want us to be able to work things out with each other when they get bad like that. So will you promise to try and talk to me when you get angry, instead of just leaving?"

Sasuke turned to face him, gaze strong and determined. He'd make sure Orochimaru and any other Akatsuki bastard who wanted to hurt Naruto would never have another chance to get him alone. "Yes," he replied."I promise."

Naruto smiled, then, and even through the bruises and cuts, the pain and the fear, its radiance was like sunrise.


	16. Finally Looking Up

**AN:** Heya, kind of a short one for ya today. I like it, though,... ish. Haha, I'll leave it to you guys to tell me what you think. Thanks so much to the reviewers :D I hope you don't mind me filling your inbox with appreciative/random babble!

Oh, and IMPORTANT: THERE IS A NEW PAIRING BROUGHT UP IN THIS CHAPTER. Please tell me what you think. If there is a strong reaction against it, then I will reconsider-- but for now, I just discovered the couple, and I'd like to take my hand at writing them for the first time. Please tell me if their characters are inaccurate or if you just plain don't like them together. Thankya much!

ALSO: I think I'm taking out Lee/Saku. I just can't stomach Sakura enough to write her properly. I might bring them in for a scene or two, but I don't plan on actually making them an important couple. Sorry if anyone was looking for that.

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Neji/Kiba

**Warnings:** Violence, cursing, some heavy kissing (but no farther than that)

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

Enjoy!

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Sasuke had never felt so indescribably angry in his life. He paced back and forth in the living room, debating with himself over what action he should take with Orochimaru. What he really wanted to do was rip the man to pieces, slowly and painfully; but he knew he'd never get away with that– he'd have to be a little more discrete about his plans.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exhaustion and frustration, head pounding incessantly. He knew Naruto would disapprove of him going after Orochimaru, but at this point he didn't care what his lover thought– he had to do _something _or the rage rushing through his veins would never go away.

_This is exactly what Naruto was talking about, _a tiny voice in his head spoke up. _You're making decisions without his input again._

"I don't care," he growled, but a small seed of doubt had been planted in his mind. He sighed and glanced back to the bedroom, imagining the way the blonde would look at him; remembering with a grimace the look of deep betrayal his lover had worn when he'd first woken up at the hospital.

_You promised him you'd change, _the voice said firmly. _Think about what he wants. Stop making the same mistakes, or you'll end up losing him._

Sasuke reluctantly admitted to himself that the voice was right and resolved to listen to it, even as he felt the unabated anger still churning deep in his stomach. He slowly walked back to the bedroom, standing at the door to watch his lover for a long moment; the steady rise and fall of his chest, the relaxed bow of his lips, the muscled curves of his arms– he wanted nothing more at that moment than to protect Naruto from the rest of the world and to make sure that he never got hurt ever again.

Blue eyes blinked open and a sunny smile graced the tanned face. "Hey, teme," he said blearily, moving to sit up. His expression abruptly twisted and he cried out, falling back against the sheets and gasping for air.

"Shit, you alright?" Sasuke asked, broken out of his reverie and hurrying to his lover's side.

"I, uh, forgot about that," the blonde rasped sheepishly, gesturing weakly to his stomach.

"Let me see," Sasuke said quietly, hands reaching for the hem of the other's shirt. Naruto nodded and let his lover slide the cloth up, growing concerned when the dark-haired man's lips thinned and his nostrils began to flare in anger

"What?" Naruto asked, a little alarmed.

"How hard did he hit you?" Sasuke asked lowly, voice an angry growl, knuckles growing white on the hands still clutching the hem of Naruto's shirt.

"I...dunno," Naruto said slowly. "It's– it's not that big of a deal, Sasuke, really– I'll be o–

"Yes it is, Naruto," Sasuke exploded, standing up and beginning to pace. "Why won't you let me go after him? I could make him pay for this!"

"Because I don't want you to go to jail, Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, exasperated. His voice softened a little as he mumbled, "And I...don't want you to get hurt."

"You think I couldn't beat him in a fight?" Sasuke asked, turning glaring eyes on him.

"I'm not saying that," Naruto denied fervently. "But it's not just him you'd be facing. You may be the strongest man I know, but even you wouldn't stand a chance against an entire gang of people."

"I could get him alone and–

"It would only make things worse!" Naruto sharply interrupted. "If you go after him, you're going after the whole Akatsuki, and I'm _not_ letting you do that."

"I make my own decisions, dobe," Sasuke growled.

"Look, I know I can't stop you," Naruto sighed. "But I'm _asking_ you to please forget about this so we can finally just... _move on._"

Sasuke ran a hand over his face in agitation and said frustratedly, "Naruto, it's not just going to end if you avoid it. They want something from us, and they're not going to stop until they get it. Even if we convinced the police to let Kisame go, do you really think the Akatsuki would just leave us alone as a reward? It makes no sense."

"I know it doesn't," Naruto whispered, glancing up at him with vulnerable blue eyes. "But can't you just let me have some hope?"

"Naruto," Sasuke sighed, coming up to sit next to him. "I know you want this all to blow over, but the world doesn't work that way. We've got the chance to take down one of the most dangerous gangs in all of Konoha, and we can't just give that up out of fear. _I _won't let _you_ do that."

Naruto nodded, inhaling deeply, eyes locked intensely with his lover's. He let out the breath, then said firmly, "Alright, teme, let's give 'em hell, then."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"What the hell took you so long?" asked a tall, long-haired man with silver eyes.

"None of your business, Neji," Kiba snapped, slamming into his shoulder as he brushed past him.

"Oi," Neji growled, grabbing his arm and whirling him around. "What's up with you?"

"You care?" Kiba snorted, yanking his arm out of the other's grip. "Where is everyone?"

Neji's nearly colorless eyes locked on Kiba's, bright and irritated. "They went on without you. You took too long."

"Fuck," Kiba cursed, running a hand roughly through his thick brown hair. He looked at the other man suspiciously. "And why'd _you_ stay?"

Neji shrugged. "It's amusing seeing you get angry."

"Screw you," Kiba retorted., glaring at him.

"Actually, if you really want to know," Neji said, ignoring his comment. "I figured at least _one _person should remember your twentieth birthday."

Kiba went utterly still, and then suddenly, embarrassingly, he felt his throat begin to close up and a stinging sensation start in his eyes. He quickly looked away, cheeks heating, completely mortified at his reaction but unable to help it– it had been a long time since anyone had even bothered to _find out _when his birthday was, let alone actually _remember_ it.

"Uh, thanks," he muttered thickly, clearing his throat gruffly and still avoiding eye contact.

Neji stared at him, remotely surprised at his friend's reaction, and he suddenly had the abrupt, bizarre urge to just... touch him. Alarmed, he turned away and began to walk, face hard and closed off as he tried to push away the odd feelings raging within him.

"What the fuck– Neji, where are you going?" Kiba called, running after him, the moment between them broken. Neji didn't answer, only increased his pace as he continued down the alleyway. Kiba sprinted until he caught up with the long-haired man, then grabbed his arm to try and pull him to a stop.

Neji flung the arm off and shoved the other's shoulders hard enough to make Kiba stumble. "Don't touch me," he warned coldly.

Kiba stared at him, shaken by the other's vehemence. "W-what the hell? Why are you acting like this?"

"Why do you care?" Neji snarled, pushing past him and beginning to walk away again.

"Damnit, Neji, come back!" Kiba shouted out, stumbling to run after him. He rounded the corner and a dark-clothed figure suddenly came out of nowhere and slammed into him so hard that the wind was knocked out of his lungs and he was sent careening into the ground. He landed with a loud "oof!" and grimaced as he felt the rough cement bite into his back.

He immediately got his bearings and moved to sit up, but then a foot stomped down on his chest, sending him coughing and spluttering back onto the ground.

"You say one word to _anyone_ about what you saw tonight, and you won't live to regret it," a low voice growled from above him.

_Oh, shit, _Kiba thought, _It's the guy who beat the shit out of Naruto._

The foot pressed down harder, making Kiba gasp, and the man barked, "Got it?"

"Fuck you," Kiba choked out, bringing his hands up to dig into the man's ankle, fighting to pull it off if him.

The foot left, but then it came crashing into his side; Kiba grunted in pain and rolled instinctively away to avoid the next blow, only to be yanked back roughly by his hair. He growled and kicked a foot out, succeeding in hitting the man's shin, causing his leg to buckle; he took the opportunity to try and scramble to his feet, but the guy was fast, and he grabbed Kiba by the shirt and pulled him back down.

"Goddamnit, you psycho, get the fuck off me!" he yelled, struggling violently against the man. Suddenly fingers wrapped around his neck and squeezed, and the dark voice whispered maniacally,

"I could kill you right now. I could crush your throat like a measly insect."

Kiba's nostrils flared in fear and he struggled wildly, fingers scratching at the sleeved arms; suddenly he realized that the man's face was covered as well, and he reached up and ripped the mask off. He caught sight of pointed features, furious black eyes, and oily black hair– then the fingers around his neck squeezed so hard that Kiba's mouth opened in a silent scream and his vision tunneled in.

"Hey, you, get off him!" came Neji's blessedly familiar voice, and then the pressure was gone from Kiba's neck and he heard the man's footsteps as he sprinted down the alleyway.

Neji ran after him, but the man had gotten a head start and he was ridiculously fast. He sighed and came to a stop, then hurried back to Kiba, who was on his side gasping for breath. At the sight, Neji felt an odd feeling in his gut– a sort of anger-laden concern that flared hot and quick in his veins– he quickly pushed it away and schooled his features into indifference.

"Holy shit," Kiba coughed, sitting up and rubbing ruefully at his lower back with one hand and at his neck with another. He looked up and caught sight of Neji, heading back towards him with a blank expression on his face.

"You okay?" the long-haired man asked, offering him a hand. Kiba took it and hauled himself up, then stretched his now sore muscles.

"Yeah. Fucking asshole," Kiba muttered, pulling his shirt up and twisting to see the damage. He turned towards Neji and asked, "Hey, can you take a look?"

For some odd reason, Neji felt his cheeks begin to color. He roughly shoved the other man around so that he was facing away from him again, and focused his eyes on the tanned skin of Kiba's lower back and side. A faint bruise was forming on the latter, and his back was scraped up and bleeding a little, but all in all it wasn't too bad. He turned him around again and said, "It's fine. You'll live."

Kiba nodded and straightened his shirt, muttering dryly, "Some birthday present."

Neji grunted and quietly replied, "It could've been worse."

There was an odd seriousness to his tone that caught Kiba off guard; made him look up to meet those silver-white eyes; at the sight of them something within him quivered with unknown intensity– he found himself leaning forward, inexplicably drawn to the other man, they were so close he could feel Neji's breath on his lips–

"Yo, Kiba!"

The two men pulled violently away from each other, turning to face a lazily approaching Shikamaru, who was waving at them with a bored expression on his face.

"Hey, Shika!" Kiba greeted, forcing a smile on his face. _What _was _that?_ He asked himself, eyes wandering over to Neji, who was staunchly ignoring his very existence, glaring at nothing with that permanent scowl on his face. _For a second there, I thought we were going to... _he shook himself, resolving not to think about it, and turned his attention back to Shika.

"Well?" the pony-tailed man asked.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Kiba asked sheepishly.

Shikamaru sighed. "Nevermind, let's just go."

"Oo-kay," Kiba said slowly. "Shino's still fighting tonight, right?"

"Yes," the other man replied. "But I'm pretty sure you've missed a lot of it."

"Damn," Kiba cursed. "Well, let's go, then. He's gonna kill me..."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Probably."

And the three made their way to the arena.

HURTCOPEHEAL

The next morning Naruto awoke to the pleasant surprise of a warm chest against his back and strong arms wrapped loosely around his middle.

"Mn...Sasuke?" he called blearily, idly stroking the man's forearm. "What are you still doing here? Don't you have work?"

"Yes, I do," Sasuke replied.

"So...why are you still here?" Naruto prodded, a little confused. "I mean, not that I don't want you here, but you _never_– "

"I wanted to," Sasuke calmly interrupted.

"Sasuke Uchiha _wanted _to stay home from work?" Naruto asked, incredulous.

Sasuke shrugged, a little uncomfortably. "You didn't want to go to the hospital. I figured someone should check up on your injuries."

Naruto wriggled against his lover and playfully teased, "I think you were just worried about me."

"Shut up," Sasuke said, scowling at the automatic coloring of his cheeks.

Naruto smiled smugly, then sobered and said sincerely, "Thank you. I really am glad you stayed."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, before settling back down to doze. The two stayed wrapped up together for a few more minutes, then Sasuke slowly extracted himself and got up, heading for the bathroom to brush his teeth. Naruto, wanting to do the same, very carefully sat up; at the movement he felt acutely how badly he'd been hurt in the chaos that had been his life for the past week– every inch of him throbbed and ached to some degree, and he wondered what he must look like at this point. He slowly got to his feet, curling an arm around his middle and closing his eyes as a wave of pain-induced nausea washed over him.

"Okay?" Sasuke asked, peeking his head out the bathroom door to check on him.

"Yeah," Naruto shakily responded, taking a breath before walking over to join the other man. Sasuke briefly touched his shoulder as he passed through the door, and Naruto gave him a small, vaguely melancholy smile in response. The two brushed their teeth, and then Sasuke turned on the shower and prepared to get in.

Naruto stayed at the mirror, frozen to the spot in shock.

He looked...horrible. His face was clammy and swollen, his eyes were bloodshot and red from crying; his neck was a pussing, blistery mess, and his torso was so black and blue that he barely recognized it as his own skin. He stared at himself, unable to look away from the garish sight, and a mantra began to scream in his head: _Weak. Weak. Weak._

"Hey," Sasuke said quietly, coming up to stand beside him, fingers brushing the other's clenched fists in tentative comfort.

Naruto met the other's eyes in the mirror, blue gaze intense. "This is pathetic," he said flatly, gesturing to his battered body.

"You heal fast; the bruises will be gone in no time," Sasuke reasoned, misunderstanding.

"_No, _the bruises aren't pathetic, _I _am," Naruto clarified, looking down at the counter as angry shame flared up within him.

"That's not true," Sasuke countered, grabbing his lover's arm and turning him away from the mirror so that they were facing one another. "The men who did this to you weren't just amateur fighters. Members of the Akatsuki– they know how to hurt; they know how to kill. They're simply stronger than you, Naruto. You couldn't have stopped them if you'd tried."

"Then I have to _get _stronger," Naruto said vehemently. "I won't be anyone's punching bag."

"Hn. Good," Sasuke approved. "That's the stubborn dobe I know."

Naruto grinned, meeting the other's eyes with a fierce determination emanating from his own. "I'm gonna learn how to fight. And I'm gonna become the strongest person in this place, you better believe it."

Sasuke smirked a little then leaned forward so that his mouth was nearly against the other's, then whispered lowly, "Not stronger than me, dobe."

"Is that a challenge, teme?" Naruto breathed, not taking his eyes off of his lover's.

"Absolutely,"Sasuke replied, before capturing the blonde's lips in a hard, heady kiss.

"Mm," Naruto hummed, bringing his hands up to thread through the thick black hair as their tongues met warmly inside each other's mouths.

Sasuke bit the other's bottom lip and brought his hands up to rest low on his waist, prompting Naruto to step closer and press their bare chests together. The blonde moved his hands from the other's hair to his shoulders, then ran them down the muscled sides, smirking a little at the slight quivering of his ticklish lover at the touch.

"Shower, now," Sasuke growled into his mouth. Naruto nodded and the two made their way over, still connected at the lips. The dark-haired man slid the other's boxers down his hips, and the blonde obediently lifted each leg to allow Sasuke to get the cotton shorts off.

Naruto climbed into the shower backwards, unable to pull away from Sasuke's lips, and the other man stepped in as well, closing the curtain behind him with one hand while the other remained on his lover's side. The hot spray washed over them both, and Naruto felt arousal sweep through him at the feeling of their bodies sliding wetly against one another.

The blonde pulled away from the other's mouth to kiss down his neck, licking and biting at the pale skin, grinning as he heard his lover's poorly disguised intake of air.

After a minute Sasuke grabbed him by the hair and brought him back up for a gasping kiss, then took hold of his waist and pushed him roughly into the wall of the shower.

"Ow, fuck," Naruto cursed, hissing in pain. "Be careful, teme!"

"Sorry," Sasuke muttered, leaning forward to kiss him in apology.

Naruto kissed him back, but the sudden pain had put him in a different place; somehow the warm lips now moving down his stomach weren't arousing, but revolting; the hands tracing down his arms were bruising, not gentle; and the slick body pressed so closely in his own made him feel trapped and frightened instead of safe and secure. He felt himself go tense in discomfort, limbs and voice box inexplicably freezing up as his lover obliviously continued his ministrations.

Sasuke pressed his lips to Naruto's navel, then stood back up to kiss his lover's ear, licking at the skin as his hands trailed down the other's sides. When his fingers found the blonde's hipbones, he pulled the other forward slightly so that he could slip his hands around his waist and drop them lower; at the touch Naruto flinched and instinctively reached out to grab the dark-haired man's arms, squeezing them with shaking hands as panic thundered through him.

Sasuke immediately pulled back, eyes roving questioningly over the other's taut, frightened expression and trembling limbs. "What?" he asked, momentarily not understanding the other man's obvious discomfort.

Naruto shook his head mutely, eyes clenching shut as he tried to quell the nausea rising in his throat; his fingers dug into Sasuke's arms as he tried desperately to cling to reality rather than be lost to the images haunting his mind.

"Naruto, look at me," Sasuke said firmly, all at once realizing what was going on; over the past year he'd had lots of experience with his lover suddenly retreating into his head, and he recognized the signs easily enough. When the blonde didn't respond he urged, "Open your eyes. Come on, Naruto, look at me."

Naruto gulped and slowly, shakily let his eyes peek open, meeting Sasuke's black gaze through the spray of water, feeling his heart pound in his ears.

"You're safe," Sasuke said quietly. "There's no one here but me. You're alright."

Naruto nodded stiffly, feeling the panic slowly begin to fade at the soothing sound of his lover's voice, and he let his fingers slowly ease up on the other's arms until they dropped limply and fell to his sides. Sasuke waited for a moment before cautiously touching his lover's shoulder, and at the contact, Naruto looked up, blue eyes wide and guilty; then he slowly stepped into the circle of his arms.

Sasuke pulled the blonde close and felt the quick, anxious breaths against his neck; the minute shaking of the muscled skin pressed against his chest; and he instinctively pressed his lips to the wet hair, trying to calm him.

"Sorry," Naruto murmured, breathing in the smell of Sasuke's skin and feeling calm wash over him.

"Not your fault," Sasuke said, anger seeping into his tone as he continued, "Fucking Kisame–

"Can we just not talk about it?" Naruto interrupted agitatedly, not liking his body's reaction to the reminder.

"Okay. Sorry," Sasuke grunted. They were silent after that, quietly leaning into one another, water spilling down their bodies and wrapping them in warmth. Right when the blonde began to doze against his lover's chest, Sasuke pulled away to wash his hair.

Naruto pouted, then watched as the dark-haired man turned around and began to scrub through his black locks; the blonde stared at his smooth back, the rippling, milky skin– and he hated himself once more for his stupid involuntary reactions to being close with the other man. He wished more than anything that he could just be with Sasuke right now, really _be _with him– but something was holding him back; he just couldn't seem to relax and let it happen; and he was so _frustrated _with himself.

"I want to," he suddenly blurted. "But–but I _can't_. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"I do," Sasuke said calmly, leaning under the spray to rinse the shampoo out of his hair. He stepped out when the suds were gone and turned to Naruto, saying quietly, "You were sexually assaulted, Naruto. Whether you want to talk about it or not, it happened, and it's affected you mentally and physically. You can't blame your mind and body's automatic reactions to damage. Their trying to heal themselves. You just have to be patient– it may take some time."

Naruto nodded, looking down at the wet shower floor as he said weakly, "I know. You're right." He looked up, smiled a little. "But patience isn't exactly one of my strong suits, huh?"

"No," Sasuke snorted. He approached the other and kissed him carefully. "But I know you'll fight through it. You always do."

Naruto smiled, pleasantly surprised at the other's unusually tender attitude. "Thanks, Sasuke," he said sincerely. "I... don't know how I'd do it without you."

Sasuke wound an arm around his waist and pulled him close in response, then brought them under the water where they stayed melded together for a long time.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"In a few days, you're gonna be out of here," Kakashi said, smiling lazily, fingers playing absently with his lover's.

"I know," Iruka contentedly replied. "I can't wait to go home. And to get back to work– my students are probably getting complacent what with a substitute teaching them for the past week."

"And your karate students as well," Kakashi reminded.

"Mm, actually, the group I've got right now is very dedicated," Iruka replied, not worried about it.

"Yeah, that Neji kid is vicious," Kakashi said dryly, remembering when he'd visited his lover's class and seen the white-eyed prodigy in action.

"Mhm," Iruka agreed. "He's a talented fighter– one of the best in the class."

"Yeah. I'm sure_ he_ would never slack off in your absence," Kakashi said, a little derisively. "But what about that one kid? Kinda short, brown hair... always hanging around with Neji's crew?"

"Kiba," Iruka immediately replied. "What, you think he'd cause trouble for the stand in?"

"He seemed the type," Kakashi responded, shrugging. "Class clown, you know?"

"Hm, perhaps," Iruka said. "But... I doubt it." His voice softened a little, and he muttered almost to himself, "He has good reason to keep up his training."

"What does that mean?" Kakashi asked, puzzled at his lover's cryptic words.

"Oh, it's just that–

He was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing. "Sorry, one sec," Kakashi said sheepishly, fishing out his cell from his pocket and answering, "Yo."

"Hey, Kakashi, it's Naruto!" came the blonde's bright voice. "How are you? Are you at the hospital? Is Iruka there?"

"Slow down, kid," Kakashi said, amused. "I'm fine, and yes, I'm with Iruka."

"Can I talk to him?"

"Yeah, sure." Kakashi turned to Iruka, who nodded, and then handed over the phone.

"Hey, Naruto," Iruka said sunnily, smile lighting up his face at the prospect of talking to the other man.

"Irukaaa!" Naruto crowed. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," Iruka replied. "How are you doing? I heard about the latest incident with Kisame– are you alright?"

"M'okay," the blonde answered quickly. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you about something."

Iruka frowned, not liking the shortness of the other's answer, but decided to let it go and said jovially, "Ask away."

"Do you... have a slot open in your martial arts class?" Naruto asked tentatively.

"You want to start up again?" Iruka asked, surprised. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah, I know," the blonde mumbled. His voice turned determined as he continued, "But I need to do it. I'm gonna become the strongest fighter in the city, and I'll never get beat up again."

Iruka smiled and responded, "If you're serious about it, then I don't doubt you can do just that."

"I am," Naruto said confidently.

"Alright, then. You can join my class, but you'll have to work extra hard, because they're all very much ahead of you," Iruka sternly explained.

"I can do that," the blonde said excitedly. "I promise, I'll work as hard as I can. You'll see, I'll be the best in the class in no time!"

"I believe you," Iruka said, chuckling. "Now, I'll be out of here by the time our next class rolls around, so be at the dojo on Wednesday at 6, alright?"

"I'll be there!" Naruto cried. "Thank you so much, Iruka!"

"You're welcome," Iruka said warmly.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye, Iruka!"

"Bye, Naruto."

The two hung up, and Iruka looked up at Kakashi with a smile on his face. "He's getting back to his old self, Kakashi. He wants to get out of the house and _do _something– like he used to. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, it is," Kakashi agreed. He leaned closer and pressed his lips to the other man's, pulling back to whisper, "But you know what's even better?"

"What?" Iruka asked, staring up into his lover's sparkling eyes.

"The fact that you're coming home soon," Kakashi breathed against his lips.

"Aw, how romantic," Iruka teased, before tilting his chin up to kiss his lover. After a minute he just barely forced himself to tear away from the mouth in front of him, saying regretfully, "Sorry, Kakashi, the doctor said I've got to get some rest for tomorrow– we're doing our last session of physical therapy, and he said it's going to be intense."

"Oh, alright," Kakashi sighed. He kissed the other's lips one last time, then pulled away and left with a wink and a wave.

As soon as the other left, Iruka leaned back against his pillows and couldn't help the peaceful grin that spread across his face.

Things were finally looking up.

"Thank God," he breathed. He could only pray that it would stay that way.


	17. Resolving Issues

**AN: **Back again. This chappy's pretty long, and while not a lot of crazy action/angst happens, I'm still pretty happy with it, and I hope you guys will be too! I'm glad Neji/Kiba didn't receive too much opposition, cause I really like writing them. But if anyone has any couples that they'd REALLY like to see written, then I can do that, cause I'm bringing in a lot of new characters in the next few chappies. Let me know!

**I REPEAT:** if anyone has any couples they'd like to see written, let me know in your review, and I'll try to put them in!

Enjoy the chapter!

**Warnings:** Kissing, vague description of injuries, violence

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Neji/Kiba

**Disclaimer: **Characters aren't mine.

----------------------

It was brisk, early morning as Neji was making his way to the dojo when he suddenly stumbled over a human-shaped lump in the middle of an alleyway.

"Shit," he cursed, glaring at the unidentified mass. "You shouldn't– Kiba? Is that you?"

Dark brown eyes peeked open and the man turned over; Neji sucked in a little air at the sight of the other's face. The brunette was sporting quite an impressive shiner– his right eye was black and blue and nearly swollen shut.

"Neji?" he asked blearily, slowly sitting up, limbs stiff from the cold night.

"Correct," Neji answered flatly. He gestured to the other's bruised face. "What happened there? Another gift from good ol' Dad?"

"Shut the fuck up, you pretentious bastard!" Kiba snarled, clamoring to his feet and launching himself at the long-haired man. Neji easily caught his fists in a vice-like grip, causing the other to give an angry shout and struggle wildly.

"Calm down," Neji said tiredly. "I apologize. I shouldn't have said that."

Kiba sighed and went still. "Fine," he grumbled, pulling away from the other man. "Fucking bastard."

Neji grunted. "Gonna tell me what happened?"

"What do you care?" the brunette asked as he was straightening his jacket and zipping it up even further. It was _freezing _outside_._

Neji nearly growled. "You're sleeping on the street, Kiba."

"I ask you again: what do you care?" Kiba repeated, eyes fierce as they rose to meet the other man's.

"Goddamnit, Kiba," Neji barked, suddenly furious, grabbing the other man by the collar and shaking him. "We've known each other for years, and yet you continue to act like I don't give a damn. It's childish, and I'm fucking tired of it."

"Nobody's asking you to stay!" Kiba yelled, shoving Neji off of him.

The long-haired man's face went cold. "Fine, then," he said stiffly. "Do what you want." He pivoted and walked quickly away, leaving Kiba alone, breathing hard in anger.

"Fuck," he cursed emphatically.

This was not going to be a good day.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"I don't think this is a good idea," Sasuke said disapprovingly, staring at his lover as he came out of the bedroom dressed in his orange karate garb.

"I don't care," Naruto said breezily, tucking in his bright shirt. He looked up, gave a grin. "How do I look, teme?"

Sasuke only glared at him. "Like you've been beaten to a pulp a few days ago and now you're going to a _martial arts_ class."

"Sasuke, I'm fine," Naruto whined, crossing his arms over his chest petulantly.

"No, you're not," Sasuke stubbornly insisted. "You need more time for your injuries to heal. You're only going to make them worse."

"I can't just stay in here cooped up all day, Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed. "I need to _do _something. Why can't you understand that?"

"I do understand," Sasuke said, anger sparking in his eyes. "And I'm glad that you want to get stronger. But I don't think it's worth hurting yourself even further when you could just wait another week until your body is ready for it."

"I don't _want _to wait another week," Naruto complained. "I just want to get started right _now._"

"I know you do," Sasuke sighed. "But it's not a good idea. I promise you, Iruka will still take you into his class a week from now."

"I know he will," Naruto muttered, beginning to give in. "But it sucks having to wait that long when I finally have something to work for again, you know? I haven't been out of this damn house to do something since, since last year and I'm... anxious, okay?"

"I know," Sasuke replied, standing up and approaching him. "And that's why I'm here– to make sure you don't do something stupid."

Naruto sighed, and finally agreed. "Alright, alright, I won't fight. But... what if– what if I went and just watched? That way I could see what I'm in for."

Sasuke's eyebrows rose dubiously. "And you'd be able to resist?"

"Yes," Naruto said, annoyed. "I said I'd only watch."

Sasuke shrugged. "Okay, then, that seems alright to me. Just... take it easy."

"I can't hurt myself _watching_ people fight, Sasuke," Naruto snorted, loving the way the dark-haired man's cheeks colored a little at the statement. The blonde leaned closer, pressed a kiss to one of them. "But thanks for your concern. I know you're worried about me, whether you want to admit it or not, and I appreciate it."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. "When do you have to leave?"

Naruto laughed. "Want to get rid of me quick, huh, teme?"

"No," Sasuke said, irritated. "I just wanted to know."

"In a few minutes. I wanted to see you off to work before I left, like the good little boyfriend I am," Naruto teased, bopping the other's nose playfully.

And despite Sasuke's apparent irritation, the dark-haired man was actually very relieved to see the blonde acting more normally than he'd had in a long time. He pressed a kiss to the man's lips and said, "Alright, I have to go. Good luck, dobe."

Naruto gave him a sunny smile, and another quick kiss. "Thanks. Don't work too hard, teme."

Sasuke smirked and made to leave, stopping just before the door to turn back and say lowly, "Naruto, I'm proud of you. Really."

The blonde grinned from ear to ear, feeling pleasant tingling rise up in his limbs, spreading warmth and happiness through his veins. "Thank you," he said, oddly shy. "I love you."

Sasuke nodded, said stiffly, "Same here" and left, leaving Naruto smiling and pleased in the middle of the living room.

This was going to be a good day.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Iruka!" Naruto called as soon as he caught sight of the other man. The brunette looked much better– his arm was still in a cast, and there were still some bandages as well as some lingering bruising; but overall, he didn't look too bad.

"Hello, Naruto," Iruka said warmly, turning to face him. He frowned a little at the fresh look of the blonde's bruises. "You still look pretty banged up; are you alright?"

"I should be asking you that," Naruto said with a half-hearted laugh. He quickly continued, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm getting there, slowly but surely," Iruka slowly replied, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to discern what was odd about Naruto's behavior. "Hey, is something–

"Naruto!" Kiba crowed, surprise clear in his features as his eyes alighted on the blonde.

"Kiba?" Naruto asked, relieved, turning away from Iruka to face the young man who had practically saved his life the other night. "I didn't realize you were in this class!"

The two met up in the middle of the room, grinning in mutual happiness at their coming together under better circumstances.

"Hey, are you joining the class?" Kiba asked excitedly.

"Yup!" Naruto proudly declared. "I'm gonna be the best in here, before long!"

"I wouldn't tell Neji that," Kiba retorted, glaring at the long-haired man, who was stretching across the room.

"Who?" Naruto asked, following the other's gaze. "That guy over there? With the creepy eyes?"

"Yup. That's Neji, our little prodigy," Kiba sniped grumpily. "Arrogant son of a bitch."

"Aw, come on, he doesn't look that bad," Naruto said, eyeing the other man. To be honest, his cool, collected demeanor reminded the blonde a lot of Sasuke.

"Trust me, I've known him for a long time, and he's a real asshole," Kiba stubbornly insisted.

Naruto shrugged. "I'll take your word for it, I guess."

Kiba nodded, approving, and smiled again. "So, didya make it home okay the other night?"

"What? Oh, yeah, Sasuke took care of it," Naruto said flippantly.

"Sasuke? Sasuke Uchiha?" Kiba asked incredulously.

"Uhm, yeah," the blonde mumbled, scratching his head.

"Wow, it was so dark that night– I didn't realize that was _the _Sasuke Uchiha! He's practically a legend around here!" Kiba exclaimed. "He used to be the number one ranked fighter in all of the US."

"Really?" Naruto asked, shocked. "I didn't know that."

"Yeah, it's kept kind of hush-hush except in the martial arts community, at least ever since that business with Itachi came out," Kiba explained.

"Why?" the blonde asked, perplexed.

"Well, people like to make it out like Sasuke's the same kind of person as his brother," Kiba regretfully replied. "Being number one got him a lot of respect, and people didn't like that. So it's been kind of a taboo subject for the public ever since."

"Huh," Naruto said, still a little shocked. "I wonder why he didn't tell me."

"You guys close?" Kiba asked nonchalantly, looking down to straighten his rumpled clothes.

"Uh, well--

"Class is starting– everyone get with your sparring partners!" Iruka called out.

Kiba grinned. "Want to be my partner for today? Usually I like to kick Neji's ass, but I can make an exception."

"Sorry, Kiba, I promised Sasuke I'd only watch today," Naruto said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"What is he, your mother?" Kiba joked.

"No, but he acts like it," Naruto laughed. "Anyway, you go fight Neji. I'll watch your amazing skills and be awed by your martial arts prowess."

"You'd best pay attention, then, grasshopper," Kiba dramatically declared.

"Don't worry, master, I promise to watch your every move, lest I miss the smallest detail of your excellence!" Naruto loudly replied.

The two burst into laughter, bent double with giggles.

Someone cleared their throat behind them, and Naruto looked up to see the cool, detached face of Neji staring down at them.

"Wipe that condescending look off your face, bastard," Kiba said viciously, glaring at him. "Just because you don't have friends to laugh with, doesn't mean you have to look down at us."

Neji's only obvious reaction was to raise an eyebrow, but Kiba caught the subtle darkening of his eyes and the angry flare of his nostrils. "Shut up and get to your spot, Inuzuka."

Kiba growled and did as he was told. Naruto followed them over to the corner of the large room, and sat down against the wall to watch.

Neji looked bored as he got into position, standing calm and aloof in stark comparison to Kiba, who already looked in a rage.

"Alright, go ahead and get started!" Iruka shouted.

Kiba launched himself at his opponent, fists swinging indiscriminately, face morphed into a snarl.

Naruto watched critically; while the guy had strength, for certain, he was too reckless and impulsive a fighter to really be effective against someone like Neji.

The blonde was proven correct as the long-haired man easily blocked Kiba's fumbling attacks and sent the brunette to the floor with one concise hit to the chest.

"Fuck," Kiba cursed, climbing quickly to his feet. "Let's go again."

"Go ahead," Neji said mindlessly, appearing completely unfazed at the prospect of Kiba coming at him again.

This, of course, infuriated the other even further; he viciously punched out at Neji's face, wanting to wipe that smug expression off; but the other man was fast and he caught Kiba's wrist before it got even close, twisting it until he had Kiba in a tight hold. The brunette struggled, trying to stomp on the other's foot or bring his elbow back into his ribs, but Neji held tight.

"Damnit, I give," Kiba said frustratedly. Neji let him go, and the two went back to their original positions.

"Again?" Neji asked, staring absently at his fingernails.

"Yes," Kiba growled. This time he took a second to focus his concentration, then he came at the other man with a powerful punch aimed at his stomach. Neji caught his fist and spun him; but this time Kiba was prepared and brought his other elbow crashing back into the other's torso. Neji grunted and swung his leg out in a roundhouse kick, taking the brunette off his feet and into the ground with a loud 'thud.'

"_Fuck,_" Kiba said emphatically, jumping to his feet once again.

The two continued in this manner for the next thirty minutes, Kiba gradually growing more and more angry and vicious with his attacks despite their obvious ineffectiveness. He was also getting tired; he was breathing way too hard, nearly in gasps, and yet he refused to take a break. Neji remained cool and confident, standing in his spot with not a single sign of exhaustion gracing his features.

"Perhaps you should stop for a moment," the long-haired man said, eyeing the other's clearly tired demeanor.

"Fuck you," Kiba snarled, before coming at him again. This time he lifted his foot for a swift high kick to the other's head; but Neji had been expecting it, and he ducked then came back up and slipped his arms underneath the other's armpits, locking him in a hold.

Kiba growled loudly at the apparent loss, and something just...broke inside him; he yanked himself out of the grip with such force that Neji stumbled a little, then he landed a hard blow to the other's chest. Neji grunted and threw a kick out; Kiba caught his foot and tried to spin him so that he landed on the ground, but Neji, instead of yanking on the trapped appendage, pressed it suddenly forward and hit Kiba squarely in the ribs.

The brunette let out a nearly inhuman scream of pain and crumpled to the floor.

"Kiba!" Naruto yelled out, scrambling to his feet and running for the other man. Neji was already at his side, eyebrows furrowed in concern, fists clenching and unclenching as he debated whether or not to touch him. The others fighting in the room stopped sparring and began to crowd around the two, curiosity plain on their faces.

"Everyone give him some space!" Iruka yelled. "Go back to your sparring, please! I'll take care of this!"

The others slowly cleared away, leaving Naruto, Kiba, and Neji with an irate-looking Iruka.

"This is a martial arts class, not an excuse to beat each other to a pulp," the brunette said sternly. "I know you all are into different kinds of fighting, but right now you're in _my _class, and you will follow _my _rules. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Neji said, nodding respectfully. "I did not realize he had a previous injury. My apologies."

"Alright," Iruka said, accepting. He kneeled down next to the gasping figure and asked, "Kiba? Should I send for the medic?"

"N-no," Kiba choked, slowly beginning to rise up into a sitting position, arms curling instinctively around his waist. "M'okay."

"Bullshit," Neji said flatly. He turned to Iruka and said, "I have a lot of medical background; I can take a look if you'd like– that way you could go back to teaching."

Iruka nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Neji." He stood and walked back to the center of the room to continue his observation of the class.

Kiba glared at the man beside him and said fiercely, "I don't need your help."

"I don't care," Neji replied simply. "You're getting it anyway."

"Damnit, Neji–

"Kiba, I think you should let him take a look," Naruto interrupted, eyes bright with concern.

"What, are you two ganging up on me now?" Kiba asked, irritated. "I'm fine, alright? I don't need anyone to look at it."

"Prove it, then," Neji said, getting to his feet. "Stand up without showing any signs of pain, and I'll believe you."

Kiba's nostrils flared in indignance at the blatant challenge. He braced himself, then slowly brought himself up so that he was kneeling, trying with all of his might not to wince. He pushed himself upwards to stand, and at that point his ribs gave one poignant throb; the brunette couldn't help the sharp intake of air at the sensation. Neji's eyes sparked with triumph.

"Fine," Kiba snarled, angry at himself for the failure. "Take a look, then."

Neji smirked a little, then took the other's arm to lead him; Kiba balked and threw the offending hand off, then hobbled behind the other man as they walked over to the corner of the room.

"Alright, shirt off," Neji ordered once they came to a stop.

Unbidden, Kiba colored. "N-no!" he spluttered indignantly.

"What _exactly _did you think 'taking a look' entailed?" Neji asked, eyebrow raising.

"Shut up, I'm not stupid," Kiba growled. He sighed, glancing around himself at the many people still in the room, and said quietly, "Look, I'd just...rather go somewhere else. It's too crowded in here."

Neji nodded, understanding the other's inclination towards secrecy considering the situation he was in. "Alright," he agreed. "My place, then. Let's go."

"Wait, you're willing to miss the rest of class?" Kiba asked, surprised.

"You're hurt," Neji said, as if it were a no-brainer. "I plan to help you."

"Uh, t-thanks, Neji," Kiba said sincerely.

Neji nodded in response and the two made their way out of the dojo. Luckily, Neji lived close by, and it took only a minute or two to walk to his house. Once there they headed up to Neji's bedroom, where the long-haired man instructed Kiba to take off his shirt and lay down on his back.

"I'd rather just lift it up while you work," Kiba said stiffly, playing with the hem of his shirt and avoiding eye contact with the other man.

Neji shrugged. "Whatever."

Kiba laid down onto his back, hissing a little as his torso stretched. Neji sat beside him, setting down his first aid kit by his legs before reaching over to gently push the other's shirt up his chest. Kiba automatically shivered when the long fingers brushed over his skin, and he swallowed thickly, hoping the other hadn't noticed.

Luckily, Neji was distracted by the sight of his gruesome chest. "Shit, Kiba," he said flatly.

"That bad, huh?" Kiba asked, forcing a chuckle.

"Yes, it is," Neji deadpanned. "Why didn't you tell me you were this hurt?"

Kiba glared up at him and declared, "Because I'm not some little wimp who can't handle a couple of bruises."

"No, you're only an idiot who thinks it's a good idea to ignore your health for the sake of looking manly," Neji snapped.

"Fuck you!" Kiba exclaimed, rapidly sitting up to give the other man a piece of his mind. Burning pain flared through his stomach and he gasped, falling back down on the bed and curling his arms around his middle.

"You've got to control that temper," Neji said quietly. "It's going to be your downfall."

"Just shut up and do what you need to do," Kiba snarled.

Neji stared at him for a moment, a speculative expression on his face. "Why are you so angry with me, Kiba?"

The brunette sighed and rubbed a tired hand over his face. "I'm not...angry with you, Neji," he finally admitted. "I've just had a lot on my plate lately, that's all."

"I bet," Neji replied, staring at the scars and bruises running up the length of the other's torso.

Kiba self-consciously tugged his shirt down and mumbled, "It's not that bad. I can handle it."

"I know you can," Neji said. "But you shouldn't have to."

The simple words hit Kiba harder than expected; he looked down and chewed on his lip, not sure how to respond.

"May I continue?" Neji asked, gesturing to his shirt.

"What? O-oh, yeah, go ahead," Kiba said shakily.

Neji lifted the shirt again and began prodding the horribly mottled area with his fingers, looking for anything unusual. Kiba tried to hold in his hisses and gasps, but the long-haired man did not give any indication that he was even aware of the other's presence; he was entirely focused on the task before him.

After a few long minutes he pulled back and said, "I don't think any of them are broken. But they still need to be taped; I'm nearly positive that at least a few of them are cracked."

"You'd need an x-ray to know that, Neji," Kiba pointed out.

"In this case, I can tell from just a glance," Neji said bluntly. "Now will you please let me tape them up?"

"I really don't think you need to," Kiba insisted, avoiding eye contact with the other man.

"Humor me," Neji said quietly, absently moving the fingers still resting on Kiba's skin.

The brunette closed his eyes at the sensation; why did Neji's touch suddenly feel like an electric jolt every time it happened? He sighed, shook his head to clear it, and reluctantly said, "Alright. Go ahead."

"Good. I'm going to need you to take off your shirt, then," Neji calmly instructed.

Kiba stiffened immediately.

Neji sighed, exasperated. "Kiba, what's the big deal? You're not normally shy."

"I'm not shy," Kiba quickly defended. "I just... damnit, I just don't want you to see right now."

"There's more injuries that I haven't seen," Neji concluded.

"N-no!" Kiba spluttered. "Fine, okay– yes. Yes, there is."

"Then I'll fix them up too," Neji said simply. "Now off with the shirt."

Kiba swallowed, suddenly nervous. "F-fine... but– but it's bad. So don't say I didn't warn you."

"I'm sure I've seen worse," Neji replied impatiently. "Now come on."

Kiba turned around so that he wasn't facing the long-haired man– he wasn't sure if he could handle seeing the other's reaction– and slowly, painfully pulled his shirt up over his head. Then he braced himself, waiting with bated breath for the inevitable lecture about how he should leave his dad's house for good and how stupid he was for staying there– but nothing happened.

Neji stared, utterly floored, at the shredded skin that was supposed to be his friend's back. The brunette's bastard of a father had obviously taken a knife to him; there were ragged cuts covering the entire span of his back, some looking deeper and more brutal than others, some even bleeding faintly, obviously fresh.

Neji stepped forward and hesitated for a moment before reaching a hand out to lightly touch a long one running across the other's shoulder blade, in awe at the sheer cruelty that had been invoked on his friend.

The brunette flinched a little at the contact, then relaxed. He didn't dare say a word; he wasn't sure what was happening, but he was pretty sure that he didn't want it to stop.

The fingertips suddenly left and in their place was the warm pressure of lips against his skin; Kiba gasped, shocked, and, unbidden, Neji's name fell off his lips in a breathy whisper. The soft mouth moved feather light across his back, kissing each scar, each cut, each bruise; Kiba was shaking. He'd never been touched so gently before– it unnerved him, and at the same time, he never wanted it to end.

Neji put his hands on the other's hips and stepped closer, till they were nearly molded together. Kiba rested his trembling fingers on top of the other man's, and Neji entwined them and squeezed lightly before moving his mouth from Kiba's shoulder to his neck.

"Don't go back there," he whispered against the skin. "Stay here. With me."

And it was like a switch flipped. Kiba snarled and yanked himself out of the other's grip, turning around and shoving the long-haired man as hard before shouting, "I've told you a million times, Neji, I'm not leaving! An Inuzuka never leaves a family member when he's in trouble!"

Neji stumbled but quickly righted himself before exclaiming, "Kiba, he needs a rehabilitation center, not a punching bag!"

"Oh fuck you," Kiba growled. "I'm helping him, whether you believe it or not."

"How?" Neji asked, exasperated. "You allowing him to do this to you is only sending one message– that his behavior is acceptable."

"Yeah and what message will leaving him send, huh?" Kiba asked waspishly.

Neji approached him cautiously, eyes locking on the other's wild, angry ones. "That you care enough to do what's best for both him and yourself. He needs to get help, Kiba. And you need to distance yourself from him in order for that to happen. He'll never stop drinking if he thinks he can always get away with it."

"Fuck, I know," Kiba snapped. His voice dropped to a whisper as he repeated, "I know."

"So _stay_," Neji murmured, reaching out to brush one of the other's clenched fists with his fingers.

Kiba opened his hand and took a hold of Neji's, needing the anchor of the other's presence. He breathed hard for a few long moments before finally, softly agreeing, "Alright. I will."

"Good," Neji replied, squeezing the other's hand once before pulling away and gesturing for Kiba to sit down on the bed once again. "Now let's get you fixed up."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"I'm home, dobe," Sasuke called as he entered the apartment, setting down his briefcase and approaching the blonde, who was sitting in the living room, staring blankly ahead of himself.

"O-oh, hey!" Naruto yelped, startled out of his reverie. "You're home late today."

"Uh, yeah," Sasuke said, a bit stiffly. "I had some extra work to do."

Naruto shrugged. "Okay," he said, before patting the spot next to him and offering his lover a bright smile. "Come watch a movie with me, teme."

Sasuke walked over to the couch and sat, saying amusedly, "You're in a good mood."

"Yeah," Naruto replied. He cooed happily, "Only cause you're home."

Sasuke shook his head at his lover's antics, reaching out to ruffle the blonde's hair. "Corny, much, dobe?"

Naruto caught the man's hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing the calloused fingers. "You love it," he said smugly, breath ghosting over Sasuke's skin.

Sasuke smirked and traced the blonde's lips, feeling the smooth skin quiver underneath his fingertips. "I do," he said, leaning forward to briefly kiss the blonde. After a moment he pulled back and relaxed against the couch, grunting when his lover plopped down against his chest, blonde hair tickling his neck.

"Tell me about your class," Sasuke said, running his hand down the other's back. "You better have only watched, dobe."

"Yes, I only watched," Naruto sighed, continuing excitedly, "But it was really cool. And Kiba was there!"

"Kiba?" Sasuke asked, vaguely recognizing the name but not certain of who it belonged to.

"The guy who saved me from Orochimaru the other night," Naruto quietly reminded.

"Ah."

"A-Anyway," Naruto quickly continued, "I spent most of the time watching he and this guy Neji go at it. They were both really good fighters. Kiba actually got hurt halfway through class– and they had to leave to get him checked out. After that I went around and met all of the other people; they were so cool– there was Ino, Shikamaru, Temari, Shino–

"Woah, woah," Sasuke laughed. "Slow down, dobe."

"Sorry," the blonde said sheepishly. His voice softened a little. "I'm just excited to...to be finding friends again."

Sasuke nodded, understanding, fingers tilting his lover's chin up so that their eyes met. "I'm proud of you," he said. "You're finally putting your life back together."

Naruto smiled sunnily. "Thanks, Sasuke." He pressed his lips to the other's mouth, felt familiar warmth spread through him, and pulled back to say genuinely, "I'm...happy. I'm really, truly happy, for the first time in a long time."

"Good," Sasuke said softly. "I'm glad."

They kissed, and then Naruto settled down against the other's chest, nuzzling the smooth planes of muscle before stilling, content to doze on his lover.

Just before Naruto could fall asleep, Sasuke spoke up, voice oddly... nervous. "I have to tell you something," he said.

"Nn...what, teme?" Naruto asked blearily, eyes blinking open at the tone of the other's voice. "Everything okay?"

"I was late coming home tonight for a reason," Sasuke quietly replied.

"O-okay," Naruto said slowly. "Go on."

"I took a job at a different law firm, and it's farther away than the old one," Sasuke explained.

"You left the firm?" Naruto asked, surprised, sitting up to look at his lover.

"They were only holding me back at that place," Sasuke explained, resentment creeping into his voice. "I didn't have a say in my work. I was practically their puppet."

"Sasuke, it's called having to listen to a _boss. _You can't always be the one in charge," Naruto said, exasperated. "What makes you think this new firm will be any different?"

"They respect me there," Sasuke defended. "I'm already being paid nearly twice as much, and they're talking about making me chief of a new committee."

"Well, congratulations on your big success," Naruto snapped. "Thanks for including my obviously valued input in your decision."

"Naruto," Sasuke sighed. "I was going to tell you, but–

"Of course you were!" Naruto exclaimed, standing up and beginning to pace. "Just like you were _going _to tell me that you were planning on knocking me out and dragging me to a hospital!"

"Calm down, Naruto," Sasuke said firmly, standing as well as irritation flooded through him. "Just listen to me for a minute, damnit."

"Why should I? All you do is lie and hide things from me!" Naruto yelled, barely restraining himself from hitting the man.

"You want to know why I didn't tell you, Naruto?" Sasuke asked loudly, eyes wild and apprehensive as he forged on, "It's because I was offered the job by _Orochimaru._ He came to me a couple weeks ago after work and told me about the firm and the opportunities it could have for me."

Naruto stumbled backwards as if he'd been punched in the gut. "W-what?" he breathed, stabbing betrayal galloping through him. "Y-you– Orochimaru– how could you– _what?_"

"Naruto," Sasuke said disarmingly, cautiously approaching his lover. "Listen to me."

"Don't come near me right now," Naruto warned, nostrils flaring in anger.

"Alright," Sasuke agreed, backing up again, hands raised in surrender. "Look, at that point I had no idea Orochimaru was involved in the kidnapping. He was simply an old client who was giving me some business advice. And when I went to discuss the possibility of changing firms with you, we had to deal with all of that stuff with Kisame. I never got the chance to talk to you about it."

"When did you take the job?" Naruto asked, voice dangerously low.

"I gave my firm two weeks notice, and my first day was today," Sasuke immediately replied.

"So...you accepted before we found out that he was involved," Naruto said slowly.

"Yes," Sasuke said firmly.

Naruto exhaled shakily, anger and resentment still hot in his veins. "And you're planning on continuing working there?"

"I'd like to," Sasuke said honestly. "It's not like I'm working _for_ Orochimaru. He only recommended it to me because his new lawyer works there and he thought I'd be a good asset to their firm."

Naruto sighed and put his hands over his face, wanting to scream into them. He heard Sasuke's cautious footsteps and felt arms wrap around his shoulders; and he leaned tiredly into the other man's chest, mumbling tiredly, "I don't like it. But you make your own choices, and I guess I just have to live with them."

Sasuke bit his lip, felt a little flare of guilt at the obviously helpless tone to his lover's voice. "I should've found time to talk to you about it before changing firms," he admitted, softly stroking the blonde's back.

"Yeah, you should've," Naruto replied.

"And I won't make the decision to stay at this new job without your approval," Sasuke finished resolutely.

"Really?" Naruto asked, pulling back to stare incredulously at the other man.

"Don't look at me like that," Sasuke said uncomfortably, looking away from his lover.

"Sorry," the blonde said, face breaking into a shaky grin. He sobered and said honestly, "I've just never thought that my opinion really mattered to you."

Sasuke sighed; he supposed he deserved that. "Well, it does," he said firmly. "So tell me what you think."

"Well, I... I don't like that he knows where you are and has access to your workplace," Naruto began. "I mean, he threatened to kill you the other night, and he's almost succeeded in killing _me_ more than once. He's capable of anything, Sasuke, and I don't want him anywhere near either of us."

"That's fair," Sasuke said, nodding and waiting for the other to continue.

"But... this _could _be our chance to get some dirt on him," Naruto said slowly. "Think about it– you're working with the guy whose working for Orochimaru. You could talk to him, try and see what you can find out."

"I don't know, Naruto," Sasuke said doubtfully. "I don't think he'd be willing to jeopardize his job."

"I think it's worth a shot," the blonde said determinedly. "He could slip up, you never know."

"Alright, I'll try," Sasuke acquiesced.

"Good. Then it's settled."

"You're okay with me still working there, then?" Sasuke asked, just making sure.

"Yes," Naruto confirmed, staring at him intensely for a moment before stepping forward and laying his head back on the other's chest once again. "Just promise me that you'll be careful, and that you'll _talk to me _before doing something like that again."

"I will," Sasuke said, arms winding around the blonde's waist. Naruto sighed, tension draining out of him, and wrapped his arms around the other's shoulders, pulling his lover tightly to himself.

"See?" he breathed into the other's ear. "Don't you think it'll be so much less stressful to just get right to this part and skip the fighting?"

Sasuke grunted. "I suppose."

"Good enough," Naruto whispered, before kissing the other's ear and pulling away. "Now come on, teme, let's watch that movie."

And for once, Sasuke didn't decline to go to his office to work; instead he sat down with his lover and the two began to watch some gruesome horror flick that the blonde had enthusiastically chosen for them to see. Naruto probably didn't realize, though, that Sasuke spent the whole time staring not at the screen, but right at him.


	18. Chaos

**AN:** Wow, I don't know what to say about this chapter... it's incredibly long, incredibly CRAZY, and hopefully incredibly good haha ^^; I realize that some of you may be upset with the sudden Neji/Kiba storyline, but I promise Sasuke and Naruto will be back in the forefront by the next chappy. I didn't expect to have this much inspiration for this new couple! But I'm going with it, and this is what my muse came up with. I hope you like it.

ALSO: I haven't gotten any responses as to which background/side couples you guys would like to see (you know, shikaino, shikatemari, etc) since I'm bringing in new characters. Please let me know!

**Warnings:** Violence and cursing, as per usual; some kissing

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Neji/Kiba

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

---------------------

"You look tense," Neji observed as he came back from the kitchen, ice pack in hand.

Kiba gratefully took the offered pack and pressed it against his swollen eye. "Yeah," he admitted. "I was supposed to be home a half hour ago. He'll be calling soon."

"Hn. Worried?" Neji asked, taking a seat beside him.

"Nah," Kiba said, though his eyes were troubled. "I can handle it."

Neji opened his mouth to retort but Kiba interrupted, "Don't say anything. Please."

"Sorry," the long-haired man said stiffly. They were silent for a moment, and then, right on cue, Kiba's phone rang.

"Do you want me to leave?" Neji asked, moving to stand.

Kiba caught his arm and brought him back down. "No. Stay," he replied. He opened his cell phone and robotically answered, "Hello, Dad."

"Where the hell are you?" came the angry, slurred voice of his father.

"I'm at a friend's house," Kiba stiffly replied.

"I thought I told you to come home," the older man growled warningly.

"Dad, I'm–I'm not going to be coming home," Kiba said, a little shakily.

"What did you say to me?"

"I said, I'm not coming home," Kiba repeated, a little stronger. He bravely forged on, "At all."

"I will slit your throat, boy, I swear to God," the voice snarled, and Kiba had never heard his father sound so enraged.

He bit his lip, fear paralyzing his throat, and choked out, "Dad– I– I'm sorry, but you need to get help. I'm not coming back– not until you've stopped drinking."

And he hung up.

"Shit, shit, shit," he cursed, eyes clenching shut as he imagined what his father would do to him when they saw each other again.

"You did a good job," Neji said quietly.

"I don't think that was such a good idea," Kiba shakily disagreed. "He's gonna kill me, Neji. Literally. He said he would, and he doesn't go back on his word."

"Hey, look at me," Neji said, turning to face him, eyes blazing and determined. "Nothing's going to happen to you. Got it?"

"You can't guarantee that, Neji," Kiba said, shaking his head and looking away from the other man.

Neji reached out and tilted Kiba's chin back over to face him. "No, I can't. But I _can _guarantee that no drunken old man is going to stand a chance against two of the strongest fighters in the city."

"You...you think I'm one of the strongest fighters in Konoha?" Kiba asked, startled.

Neji colored a little; he hadn't realized he'd let that slip out. "Yes, I do," he replied resolutely. "And your father won't be able to lay a hand on you if we work together."

Kiba nodded, feeling a little stronger from the other's obvious confidence. "Yeah, I guess," he slowly replied.

"Now why don't you get some rest," Neji suggested. "I need to go speak with Iruka and let him know you're okay."

"Alright," Kiba said, laying back until he was resting against the soft sheets, eyes drooping shut. "Lock all the doors if you leave."

"I'm just going to call him," Neji reassured. "I'll be back here soon."

"Gonna watch over me while I sleep?" Kiba asked, smile playing on his lips.

"If you want me to," Neji said seriously.

"It was a joke, moron," Kiba snorted. "Go call Iruka. I'll be fine."

"Alright," Neji grunted, reaching out to pull the blanket on his bed over the other man's body. "Sleep well. Try not to bother those ribs too badly."

"Yes, because I can control how I move when I sleep," Kiba said sarcastically. Neji rolled his eyes and stood to leave but Kiba caught his arm and pulled him back down to face him. "Hey, I want to say thank you, for fixing me up and offering me a place to stay. You didn't have to do that."

"Yes, I did," Neji said calmly. "But you're welcome. I'll see you in a bit."

"Kay," Kiba murmured, eyes drifting shut. He fell asleep feeling safer than he'd ever felt in his life.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Sasuke was sleeping fitfully beside Naruto, who'd been woken up by his jerky movements and mumbled words just minutes before. The blonde was debating whether or not to touch his lover; he knew how _he _got with his own nightmares, but Sasuke so rarely had them that Naruto had no idea how he'd react to any sort of contact.

So he stared at the other man, watching his contorted expression, hearing his breathy pants and whispers, feeling the bed shake with his movements– and he felt utterly helpless.

"I didn't do it," Sasuke murmured, head tossing from side to side. "It wasn't me. It wasn't me, I swear." His fists suddenly punched out wildly; Naruto ducked to avoid one's vicious trek towards him. "Get the fuck off of me, you bastards, I didn't kill them!" he screamed hoarsely. "I didn't do it!"

"Sasuke, wake up," Naruto whispered, getting fearful now. "Come on, teme, wake up. Please."

"I didn't kill them," his lover repeated again, voice shaking and slurred. "But I _will _kill _him_...for...doing this to them. To me. I will kill him, mark my words."

"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, reaching over to shake him. "You've got to–

He yelped in fright as those black eyes snapped open, wild and murderous, set right on him. He scrambled away, frozen limbs clumsily working to get him away from his lover, nearly falling off of the bed in the process. He finally made it to the edge and hurriedly got to his feet, back-pedaling towards the door as fast as he could, unable to look away from those crazed eyes.

Then the black irises slowly cleared, and Sasuke stared at his obviously frightened lover, a confused expression spreading on his face. "What's the matter?" he asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up.

"Y-you were having a nightmare," Naruto shakily replied, still somewhat frozen to the spot.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, glancing up and looking him over.

"No, no, you just scared me a little, that's all," the blonde replied, running a trembling hand through his hair. "I'm fine."

"Then come back to bed, dobe," Sasuke said, looking a little amused at his behavior.

"It's not fucking funny," Naruto snapped. "I thought you were going to kill me."

Sasuke's eyes darkened in irritation. "Why the hell would you think that?"

"Because you woke up and looked like you wanted to eat me alive!" Naruto exclaimed, remembering the homicidal spark in those eyes all too well.

"You're exaggerating," Sasuke said decisively.

Naruto growled, hot anger coursing through his veins like fire. "Fuck you."

"Alright, look– I'm sorry if I scared you, but I was _asleep_, Naruto," Sasuke impatiently reminded his lover. "Whatever I did, I didn't mean to."

"I know," Naruto sighed. "I know you didn't."

"Then come back to bed," the dark-haired man tiredly repeated.

Naruto shook his head. "I... need to get some air first, okay?"

"Whatever," Sasuke muttered, laying back down. "Do what you want."

The blonde gulped, feeling a little guilty. "Be back soon," he said softly.

Sasuke didn't respond.

Naruto exhaled heavily and walked out of the bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind him. The living room was pitch black; he fumbled to find the light switch, and when he flipped it up, the light flicked on then popped; Naruto caught sight of a dark figure hulking in the corner of the room before all went black again.

"Oh, shit," he breathed, backing up into the door, heart pounding loudly in his ears. His shaking fingers found the doorknob and he turned it frantically, swearing that he heard footsteps beginning to come towards him. His throat swelled with fear and quick as lightening he turned around and ran back into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him and barely managing to lock it.

"Naruto– what?" Sasuke called blearily.

"Someone's in the house," Naruto whispered loudly, eyes wild with fear. "Call the police, Sasuke, hurry!"

"Woah, calm down," Sasuke said, immediately alert. "Tell me what's going on. Slowly."

"I saw someone in the living room when I went out just now," Naruto said, panic making gasps rise in his throat.

"Calm down," Sasuke said, standing up and approaching his lover, seeing his shaking outline even in the darkness of the room. "Breathe, Naruto."

"C-can you please just call the police?" Naruto pleaded, voice desperate.

"I'm going to take a look first," Sasuke said, moving towards the door.

"No!" Naruto exclaimed, grabbing his arm and yanking him back, eyes blazing. "You could get hurt, moron! He could have a gun!"

Sasuke sighed and peeled off the other man's fingers, squeezing the hand lightly before dropping it and saying bluntly, "Stop worrying. I'm sure if he'd had a gun, he would've shot you just now."

Naruto shook his head mutely, watching helplessly as Sasuke turned the doorknob and walked out of the bedroom into the pitch black living room. Naruto cautiously stepped out behind him, following the dark outline of his lover's back. It was completely, eerily silent; the blonde felt goosebumps rise on his arms, and he resisted the wimpish urge to clutch onto his lover.

"If there's anyone there, show yourselves," Sasuke said loudly, confidently.

There was high, shrill giggling from the corner of the room.

Sasuke followed the sound and was nearly on top of it when a flashlight came on and revealed the grinning, satisfied face of one Sakura Haruno.

"Gotcha!" she laughed, holding up the black mask she'd been wearing and dangling it in front of their faces.

Naruto saw red. He launched himself at the pink-haired girl, fear-induced adrenalin from minutes before rapidly turning into rage; he snarled and swung viciously at her– Sasuke grabbed him round the waist and pulled him back before he could hit the woman.

"Let me go, Sasuke!" he yelled, struggling wildly in his lover's grip.

"What's the big deal, idiot?" Sakura asked, annoyed. "It was just a prank! Stop making such a big deal out of everything, like you always do!"

Sasuke couldn't stop himself; he let Naruto go, approached the woman, and gave her a good hard smack across the cheek.

"You disgust me," he growled fiercely. "And I never want to see your face again. Get out."

"B-but, Sasuke!" Sakura spluttered, holding her rapidly reddening cheek with both hands, tears springing to her eyes.

"I said _get out!_" Sasuke roared, hand raising again.

Sakura scrambled away, sprinting out of the apartment as fast as her legs could take her. When the door slammed, all was silent save for the angry, panting breaths of both men inside.

"Sasuke," Naruto said lowly.

Sasuke turned around to face him, anger still sparking in his black eyes, fists clenched and trembling in rage at his sides.

"Are you alright?" the dark-haired man asked, peering at him.

Naruto leaned up and kissed him, hard, hands moving to roughly thread through the midnight hair as he pulled his lover's mouth as close to his own as possible.

"I love you.." he mumbled into the full lips.

They kissed for a few more moments, then Sasuke pulled away, smirking, and said, "That doesn't answer my question, dobe. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, teme," Naruto replied wryly. "I'm pissed that you didn't let me have a go at her, but I think you got the job done quite nicely."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. He kissed the blonde once more, then made his way back over to the bedroom, lover in tow. They crawled back under the sheets, where Naruto molded himself against Sasuke's side, fear of the other man completely erased in the wake of the night's events.

"Hey Sasuke," he whispered, nosing at the skin of his lover's neck.

"What, dobe?" Sasuke asked agitatedly, trying to pull away from the tickling appendage.

"Let's get her back," the blonde said lowly.

"Naruto," Sasuke warned.

"Why not?" Naruto whined. "She scared the living shit out of me."

"And you shouldn't stoop down to her level."

"Says the man who's whole life is centered around revenge," Naruto retorted, then winced as he realized what had just come out of his mouth.

Sasuke's body went absolutely still. "This does not even come close to the same situation," he said chillingly, voice completely devoid of any emotion.

"Shit, Sasuke, I'm sorry," Naruto hurriedly apologized. "That was a really, _really _stupid thing for me to say."

Sasuke didn't respond, but Naruto could feel the angry quickness of his breathing.

"I really am sorry," the blonde said quietly after a minute. "Please don't be upset with me."

The dark-haired man abruptly sat up, throwing Naruto off of his chest, and got to his feet, moving to leave the room.

"Wait, damnit!" Naruto cried out angrily. "You promised me you wouldn't do this anymore!"

Sasuke's back tensed, but he made no move to respond.

"You said you'd talk to me," Naruto softly accused. "You said you wouldn't walk away when we had a problem. Remember that?"

"I don't _want_ to talk," Sasuke growled, turning around to face him with bright, angry eyes. "And I need to leave before I do something I'll regret."

Naruto bit his lip, feeling acutely guilt for letting himself say something so blatantly idiotic; but he firmly resolved that he was going to fix the damage, no matter what Sasuke wanted. "Hit me, then," he said fiercely, looking up and locking eyes with the other man. "Do what you need to do to get your anger out, but don't you dare just _leave._"

Sasuke breathed harshly, then stalked up to the blonde, nostrils flaring in anger. He raised a hand, and Naruto didn't even flinch, simply stared into his lover's eyes, blue irises wide and intense.

"Fuck," Sasuke cursed, before dropping his arm and sitting down beside his lover, putting his head in his hands and pulling at the black hair.

Naruto let out the breath he'd been holding and cautiously reached a hand out to touch his lover's back; the other man tensed, then slowly relaxed. Encouraged, the blonde began to stroke the bare, pale skin, smoothing over the muscles in soothing circles as the other finally began to calm.

"I'm sorry," Naruto whispered again. "I really shouldn't have said that. It just... came out before I could even think about it."

Sasuke nodded mutely, not even looking up.

"Please talk to me," the blonde murmured.

Sasuke finally lifted his head and turned to face him. "You're an idiot," he said bluntly.

Naruto flinched a little. "I know," he replied softly.

"But I know that you're mouth quite often gets ahead of your brain," Sasuke continued, "And that sometimes you can't help the stupid things you say."

"Does...that mean you're willing to forgive me?" Naruto asked slowly.

"Yeah, dobe," Sasuke said softly, reaching out to smooth the blonde's worried brow. "Just try and think before you speak from now on, alright?"

"I will," Naruto promised sheepishly, looking down at his fidgeting hands. He continued quietly, "Thanks for not leaving, Sasuke."

"Thanks for making me stay," Sasuke calmly replied.

Naruto looked up at him and smiled; they were alright again. He leaned against the dark-haired man, and Sasuke wound an arm around his waist, pressing him briefly to his side.

"Let's go to sleep," he said after a minute, before letting the blonde go and crawling back under the sheets. Naruto followed suit, and the two fell asleep, neither one waking again till morning.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"You look like death warmed over," Kakashi deadpanned, eyeing his haggard-looking lover as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Thanks, dear," Iruka said sarcastically, moving to the counter to pour himself a large cup of coffee.

Kakashi put his hands on the other's hips and leaned forward to kiss the side of his neck.

"Mn, Kakashi, stop, I've got to leave," Iruka whined, stretching his neck away from the other man's mouth.

"You should stay home," Kakashi breathed, fingers moving up the other's sides as his nose nuzzled the other's hair.

"I _can't_, Kakashi– I've got class," Iruka insisted, pulling himself reluctantly away from his lover and moving to leave the kitchen. He took a few steps when suddenly a wave of nausea passed over him and his knees buckled underneath him. Kakashi cursed and caught him before he hit the ground, carefully avoiding his lover's broken arm as he settled him back on his feet.

"Are you okay?" the white-haired man asked, peering concernedly into Iruka's bloodshot eyes.

"Y-yeah," his lover responded shakily. "I think it's the new pain meds. They're making me a little woozy."

"I don't think teaching a martial arts class is the best idea right now," Kakashi said, keeping a hand on the other's lower back to steady him.

"I'll be fine," Iruka said weakly, leaning against his lover slightly as his vision swayed. "My students really wanted to meet twice this week. I don't want to disappoint them."

"You can barely stand," Kakashi replied, exasperated. "How do you expect to make it through your class at the dojo _and _your class at the school?"

"I'll manage," the brunette insisted. "Really, it's starting to fade now. I promise."

Kakashi raised a dubious eyebrow and said, "I don't like it."

"Then why don't you come with?" Iruka blurted, then hurried to say, "I mean, if you're not doing anything else today, that is."

"No, no, that sounds good," Kakashi easily agreed. "I was just planning on lazing around."

"And you're sure you can give that up to tag a long with me?" Iruka teased.

"I think I'll manage," Kakashi replied, smirking. "Now come on, we're going to be late."

"Oh, look at you, Mr. Punctual," Iruka laughed, pulling away to grab his coat from it's place on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "Let's go, then."

Kakashi grabbed an apple and threw it to his lover, then grabbed one for himself. They headed out of the house and began to walk along the practically deserted street; it was way too early in the morning, and no one in their right mind would voluntarily get up at this hour– except for his crazy lover, of course.

He looked over at him fondly, gaze growing concerned at the obvious signs of exhaustion the other man was showing. Iruka, sensing his eyes, turned to look at him, eyebrows raised in question.

"It's nothing," Kakashi muttered.

Iruka shrugged, taking a bite out of his apple. "Kay."

They rounded the corner and came face to face with a startling scene right outside of the dojo. Kiba was on the ground, holding his face, and Neji was holding a burly-looking middle-aged man to the wall by his neck, snarling at him in a rage.

"Neji!" Iruka called, picking up his pace. "What the hell's going on?!"

Kakashi ran over to the three and pulled Neji forcefully off of the drunken man, who stumbled towards Kiba, anger in his eyes.

Kakashi threw Neji to the side and grabbed the man by the arms, wrenching him away from the fallen brunette.

But he didn't have to hold him back, for suddenly Kiba came lunging off the ground towards the older man, looking positively enraged. He yanked his father out of Kakashi's grip and slammed him up against the wall by his collar, then growled menacingly,

"That was the last time you'll _ever _touch me."

He slammed the man once more into the bricks, then pulled away and stormed into the dojo.

Neji got up and approached Kiba's father, murder still in his eyes. "You get near him again," he promised. "And I'll kill you."

"Don't...nn..tell me what to do," the man slurred. "He's _my _son!"

Neji opened his mouth to retort but Iruka grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Stop, Neji, it's not worth it," he said quietly. The long-haired man gave a low growl and glared at his instructor, wanting permission to rip this man to shreds. Iruka shook his head and turned to Kiba's father, saying sternly, "You need to leave, sir, or I'll call the police."

"Fuck you!" the man shouted, lunging for Iruka.

Kakashi was there in a heartbeat, grabbing the man by his arms and wrenching him into a hold. "I believe he told you to leave," he growled into the man's ear.

"Fine then, leggo o' me!" Kiba's father exclaimed, struggling.

"I'd feel more comfortable escorting you out," Kakashi said sweetly. The other man snarled incoherently as Kakashi began to walk, shoving the man along the entire way. When they got a block or two away from the dojo, Kakashi threw the man off of him and gave him one last glare before heading back to the dojo.

"You okay?" he asked Iruka as he approached.

"_I'm _fine, but I'm not so sure about _Kiba_," Iruka replied, remembering the look of the other's bruised and bleeding face.

"Why don't we go see, then?" Kakashi suggested, gesturing towards the door. Iruka nodded and the two headed inside.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"You're bleeding," Neji observed, eyeing the clean cut across the other's cheekbone.

"He was wearing his favorite ring," Kiba replied resentfully, reaching up and touching the sore spot on his face. His fingers came back bloody and he scowled. "Fucking bastard."

"I'm surprised he came to the dojo," Neji said thoughtfully as he opened the first aid kit and fished out some disinfectant and a small facial bandage.

"What, did you think he'd just be all sunshine and roses and leave me alone for good when I told him I wasn't coming back?" Kiba snorted cynically. "Not likely."

"Hn. I guess you're right," Neji replied, wiping the cut gently with the alcohol wipe. Kiba didn't even flinch, merely sat still as Neji worked.

"Kiba!" came Iruka's concerned voice as he quickly approached them. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Kiba said, waving him off. "It's just a scratch."

"Goddamnit, Kiba, I don't understand why you won't press charges against him," Iruka said frustratedly. "You've got plenty of evidence– you could win a heartbeat."

"I told you I won't do that," Kiba said stubbornly. "I won't cause trouble for my family."

Iruka opened his mouth to give the brunette a piece of his mind, but Neji quietly, firmly interrupted, "Leave it, Iruka."

Iruka's mouth snapped shut, startled, and he slowly replied, "Alright, then."

"We'll be ready to participate in a few minutes," Neji continued. "Please don't hold class up on account of us."

"Sure," Iruka agreed, still looking a little shell-shocked. He went to the middle of the room to wait for the rest of the class to show.

Neji turned back to Kiba and saw the other man's amused smile. "What?" he asked.

"I don't think he expected his star pupil to give him orders like that," Kiba laughed.

Neji colored a little. "It wasn't my intention to be impolite. Was I?"

Kiba reached up, ruffled the long hair a little, grinning wider at the other's affronted expression. "Oh, you were downright _rude_ to him, Hyuuga," he teased.

Neji looked supremely embarrassed for a moment, and then he glared at the other man. "You're exaggerating."

"Of course I am," Kiba chuckled.

Neji's brows furrowed in irritation, and he went back to caring for the other's cut, opening the bandage and carefully placing it over the bleeding area before sitting back on his heels and observing his work.

"How do I look?" Kiba asked, batting his eyelashes.

Neji rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said, getting to his feet. "Now let's go back to class."

"Wait," Kiba said, voice oddly soft. He stood as well and approached the other man, staring into the silver eyes as he continued, "Thank you. For standing up for me out there."

"I wanted to kill him," Neji said quietly. "I would have, if Iruka hadn't of come along."

"I know," Kiba murmured. "I saw your face, just before I hit the ground. You looked furious."

"I was," Neji easily confirmed. "He disrespected your wishes, and on top of that, he hit you. That's not acceptable."

Kiba smiled, and there was a certain sadness to the expression. "That was tame for him, Neji."

Neji's lips thinned in anger towards his friend's father. "I know," he said, remembering the other's shredded back and mottled torso. "But he won't come near you again. I'll make sure of it."

"Big strong Neji Hyuuga, offering to be my protector?" Kiba asked, voice oddly breathy. His stomach fluttered a little when the other's eyes locked intensely with his own.

"Yes," the long-haired man said firmly. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Kiba swallowed; his throat suddenly felt like sandpaper and twice as large as normal. His eyes dropped unthinkingly to the other's lips– when did they get so close to his own? He leaned forward, not breathing, not thinking, only _wanting, _wanting to–

"Kiba, what happened?" came the frantic voice of Naruto as he sprinted across the room heading right towards them.

Kiba nearly cursed aloud; he wasn't sure what was going on between him and Neji, but he certainly wanted to figure it out– and he'd never be able to do that withall of these damn interruptions. Nevertheless, he turned towards his blonde friend and offered him a reassuring grin.

"Everything's fine now, Naruto," he said jovially.

"Who hit you?" the blonde demanded, anger seeping into his tone; he was very protective of his friends.

"Don't worry about it," Kiba brushed him off. "Come on, class is starting."

Naruto pouted, hating to be kept in the dark. He watched Kiba and Neji walk together to the center of the room, and felt a sudden sense of deja vu– his eyebrows raised in dubious suspicion as he thought back on the charged tension that had been present between the two when he'd first arrived; he wasn't stupid, and he strongly suspected that there was something going on between the two.

He grinned at the thought; if their relationship's dynamic was anything like he and Sasuke's, they were in for a rough ride.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of loud, arguing voices; he nearly laughed outright when he saw that it was Neji and Kiba, fighting over whether or not the latter should participate in sparring when he'd just been hit.

Yup. A rough ride indeed.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"I'm gonna shower," Neji told Kiba as they entered his house. "You can help yourself to anything in the kitchen, if you're hungry."

"No thanks," Kiba said, a little snappishly, still angry at the other's refusal to fight him properly at the dojo; he absolutely hated to be treated like he was some sort of weakling.

"Kiba," Neji sighed.

"Leave it," Kiba said tersely.

"Fine," the long-haired man grunted, turning away from him and heading to the bathroom.

When the door slammed shut Kiba breathed out a sigh of relief; he'd been waiting to be alone so that he could open the letter his father had shoved into his hand just before clocking him. He reached into his pocket and fished out the wrinkled, stain piece of paper, then hurriedly opened it and began to read. He gasped sharply– his father had written out the addresses of his mother and each of his siblings, then scribbled three chilling statements:

_I know where they are. _

_They'll pay for your mistakes, Kiba. _

_Be home by noon._

Kiba frantically looked up at the clock; it was 11:45. He glanced over to the bathroom,

hearing the shower begin to run, imagining what the other's reaction would be to his departure. He briefly debated with himself whether or not he should leave his friend a note– but he simply didn't haveenough time to do so. He quickly made his way out of the house, eyes lit with determination– his family would not suffer for his choices. He would make sure of that.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Sasuke entered his office and stopped short at the sight of Orochimaru lounging at his desk.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he growled sharply, glaring heatedly at the other man.

"I just wanted to chat, Mr. Uchiha," the other man said sweetly, eyelashes batting innocently.

"Get the fuck out of my office," Sasuke deadpanned. "Or I'll call security."

"Touchy, touchy," Orochimaru commented, holding his hands up in surrender. "Honestly, I only wish to speak with you for a moment."

Sasuke stalked over to him, fists itching to wipe that innocent expression off the oily face. "Listen to me," he said lowly. "I don't want to see you. Ever. You're to stay away from both myself and Naruto from now on. Got it?"

Orochimaru's eyes darkened imperceptively. "Very well," he drawled, getting gracefully to his feet. As he passed by the other man, he whispered in a lilting voice, "Just tell Naruto to remember what I said."

Sasuke whirled around and grabbed him by the arm, wrenching him around so that he was facing the dark-haired man's murderous black eyes. "I know what you did to him," he snarled. "And I'd kill you right now if I knew I could get away with it. Don't fuck with him ever again, you hear me?"

Orochimaru merely smiled. "I'm not sure I know what you're referring to," he said smoothly. "Now if you'd please remove your hand, I can get out of your hair."

Sasuke breathed harshly, utterly infuriated by the man, and finally shoved him away, muttering angrily, "Don't come back. I mean it."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Uchiha," the long-haired man breezily replied. He left the room with his soundless, graceful gait, and Sasuke glared at his back until he couldn't see it any longer.

He was beginning to regret taking this job.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Neji tied a towel around his waist and headed out of the bathroom, eyes searching for his friend.

"Kiba," he called. "You can use the shower now; I'm done!"

No answer.

"Kiba?"

Still no response. Neji frowned and walked over to the bedroom; it was empty. His stomach dropped a little; he was starting to get a bad feeling. He hurriedly got dressed and headed back to the kitchen, looking for any sign of the other's presence.

Suddenly he noticed a small, crumpled up piece of paper near the door. He quickly walked over, picked it up, and read it over. It was a chilling message from the other's father, and Neji didn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out where his friend had gone.

"Damnit, Kiba," he breathed. He hurriedly fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed his friend's number. It rang once, then abruptly cut off and went to the answering machine. He called again, and this time it didn't ring at all. "Fuck," he cursed; it must've been turned off.

He grabbed his coat and put it on, then headed out of the house, walking swiftly and purposefully towards the other's residence, dialing Iruka's number as he went.

"Hello?" came his instructor's voice.

"Iruka, it's Neji."

"Ah, hello, Neji," he said, sounding a little flustered. "I'm afraid I can't talk right now– I'm teaching. Can I call you back later?"

"I'll be fast," Neji assured. He continued quickly, voice cool and concise, "I just wanted to tell you that Kiba might be in trouble. Yesterday he told his father than he wanted to move out for good, and that's why there was that scene at the dojo earlier. Sometime during that, his father gave him a note that threatened death to the rest of his family unless he returned home. Kiba must've dropped it when he left my house, because I found it by the door just now. He's got to be back at his father's."

"Oh, no," Iruka breathed. "His dad will be furious about what happened this morning. He could really hurt him, Neji. Are you heading over there right now? Do you need me to call the police?"

"No, I'll handle it," Neji said firmly.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Iruka stubbornly argued. "I don't want you diving into an unknown situation without any backup. If you don't call me and let me know your status in ten minutes, I'm sending them over there. I have his address in my files."

"Alright," Neji grunted, seeing the logic in his suggestion.

"Good luck, then. Bye."

They hung up, and Neji continued on his way, rapid footsteps echoing down the street as he quickly made for Kiba's house, hoping he wouldn't be too late.

A few minutes later and he was finally outside the small condo where Kiba and his father had lived for the past few years since his mother had moved away. He hurried up to the door and banged on it; no response.

"Kiba, let me in!" he called, ringing the doorbell and slamming his fists into the wood. After a few moments he reared back and kicked the door in, then ran inside, eyes immediately searching for Kiba.

His eyes alighted on utter destruction. There was upturned furniture, broken glass strewn everywhere, punched in walls and windows; and in the midst of it all, Neji caught sight of his friend, lying completely still on the floor, blood dribbling out of his lips.

"Kiba," he gasped, running over to the other man. As he moved to kneel down next to him he noticed his friend's father lying passed out on the sofa, shattered beer bottle still held in his hand. Neji growled, having to forcefully restrain himself from lunging at him. Kiba's health was more important than anything else at this point, and he had to cool his anger and assess the brunette's condition.

He knelt down and pressed his fingers to the side of his friend's neck; there was still a pulse, but it was unusually, dangerously faint.

_He must be bleeding, _Neji thought, gaze dropping to look down the other's body. At the sight that greeted him he could not help his sharp intake of air; there were large pieces of glass from the beer bottle embedded in the other's chest and stomach, and the wounds were bleeding heavily and obviously had been for several minutes.

"Shit," he cursed; judging from the blood coming out of the other's mouth, the glass had pierced Kiba internally– he had to get him to a hospital as soon as possible.

He hurriedly got out his cell phone and began to dial 911, but then he heard faint groaning and he looked up to see Kiba's eyes peeking slowly open, brown irises clouded with delirious pain.

"Neji?" he whispered, peering up at him.

"Try not to talk or move at all," Neji softly warned. "You're hurt badly, and I don't want you to make it worse."

Kiba gave a small nod and swallowed thickly, waves of pain and nausea washing over him in a steady cascade of discomfort.

"I know it hurts," Neji said, seeing his pained expression. "I'm calling an ambulance right now, alright?"

He lifted his phone and began to dial again; he didn't see Kiba's eyes widen and heard too late the hoarse shout, "Neji, look out!"

Pain burst through his head, and then all went dark.

"Neji!" Kiba cried out, watching his friend crumple to the floor. He stared incredulously up at his father, who was holding a golf club in his hand and wearing a drunken smirk on his face.

"This little twerp's caused me a lot of trouble lately," he growled, picking the unconscious Neji up by the hair and dragging him across the floor.

"Don't hurt him!" Kiba weakly cried out, coughing at the effort.

His father let go of Neji's hair, causing the man drop cruelly hard to the ground, and turned dancing eyes towards his son, delighting in his distress. "Don't hurt him?" he mocked. He stalked over to Neji, raised the club above his head, and taunted, "You mean like this?" He swung it downwards and Kiba screamed; it hit the floor inches beside Neji with an audible 'thump.' Kiba breathed out a desperate sigh of relief, and his father laughed heartily, proud of his trick. He raised the club up once again, watching for Kiba's reaction.

"Please stop," the brunette begged, staring at Neji and praying for him to wake up.

His father brought the club down again, and this time it was aimed straight at Neji's stomach; Kiba cried out hoarsely, and his friend's eyes suddenly fluttered open; he rolled to the side and the club crashed down on his hip.

Neji groaned at the burst of pain and tried to sit up; but his vision was swaying and he couldn't seem to get his limbs to cooperate. He heard the whistle of the club flying through the air, and he hurriedly threw himself to the side; it wasn't enough– the club hit with a sickening crack right on his shin. He screamed.

"Stop!" Kiba yelled desperately. _I have to help! _he thought frantically, and before he could even think it through he snapped his upper body forward in an attempt to sit up; agony unlike he'd ever felt exploded through his torso and he fell back, sobs rising in his throat, tears of pain and panic beginning to stream from his eyes. There was nothing he could do in this condition. He'd never felt so utterly helpless in his life.

Neji heard the distinct sounds of pain coming from his friend and felt anger towards the other's father surge through him, a rage tinted with deep concern; he had to call an ambulance– if the other was truly bleeding internally, he didn't have much time.

The thought terrified him and moved him to action. He rocked forwards and got up to one knee before nausea completely overwhelmed him; Kiba's father saw the opening and swung a vicious fist to the side of his head. Neji was sent careening to the floor and his vision briefly went back; when he came to he heard the now familiar whistle of the club, and he managed to dodge the blow just barely. The man growled and raised it once again– but suddenly the blessed sound of sirens could be heard blaring near the house.

Kiba's father stopped mid-swing in dumbfounded shock. Neji hurriedly took advantage of the opportunity, reaching up and yanking the club out of the other man's grip before delivering a swift blow to his head. The other man dropped like a stone, crashing to the floor with eyes rolled back in unconsciousness.

Neji stumbled to his feet and limped over to Kiba, gritting his teeth through the pain. The other man was trembling horribly, tears squeezing through his clenched shut eyes, gasping breaths horribly loud in the suddenly silent room. Neji knelt down beside him, careful not to strain his hurt leg, and gripped his hand. Kiba's eyes shot open, shining and agonized, locking on the other man's with an intensity both of them felt to their cores.

"N-Neji," Kiba breathed. The long-haired man stared at him for a long moment, at his wet, flushed cheeks and wide brown eyes, and then suddenly their lips met roughly together; the kiss wasn't sweet or gentle, it was gasping, bruising, bloody– but it was everything they wanted, everything they _needed_, and neither ever wanted to pull away.

Kiba lifted his arms unthinkingly to wrap them around the other's neck, wanting to be closer to him; at the movement his torso spasmed with pain and he gasped, ripping himself away from the other man just before he began to heave with vicious coughs.

"Ah-ow-_ow_," he cried, arms curling around his middle as blood spewed out his lips and dripped down his chin. He reached his hand up and touched the liquid; the sight of it's red color made sudden panic gallop through his veins. He began to thrash, not breathing, not thinking– only blind terror guiding his movements.

"Kiba!" Neji said sharply. "Kiba, calm down!"

But the brunette was too far gone; his eyes were glazed and unfocused as his body shook with the tremors of shock and panic.

Neji reached out and cradled the other's head in his hands. "Shh, you've got to lie still," he said softly, stroking the other's hair. "I know it hurts, but help is on the way. Just hang on, okay?"

"Neji," the other choked out, eyes dizzily finding the other's and locking on them. "Neji, something's really wrong."

"I know," the long-haired man murmured, thumbs brushing over his temples. "But it's going to be alright. They're going to fix it, I promise. Just calm down. Lie still."

Kiba latched onto the sound of the other's soothing voice and the image of his reassuring eyes, and finally felt himself begin to calm. For the next few minutes he focused only on the feel of the fingers smoothing his hair and the warmth emanating off the man in front of him; he felt a sort of peaceful numbness wash over him, and his vision slowly began to tunnel in.

Neji watched Kiba's eyes close and was relieved that the other wasn't feeling as much pain, but was still worried that he wasn't getting medical attention soon enough. Thankfully, it felt like only seconds had passed before he heard the sound of sirens directly outside the door and thundering footsteps coming up the driveway.

"Stretcher coming through!" came a man's voice from the doorway. Neji turned away from Kiba and watched several people enter the house; four nurses pushing in a large white stretcher, two policemen, and two doctors.

"Sir, are you hurt?" asked one of the doctors, looking at Neji.

"Head and leg are injured, but I can manage," Neji said tersely. He gestured quickly to Kiba, whose head had lolled back in unconsciousness. "You need to get him to a hospital right away."

"You need medical attention as well," the doctor said sternly. "I'll call for another ambulance."

"No, damnit, I want to stay with him!" Neji burst out, then blinked, surprised at his own reaction. "I mean... I'd prefer to ride in the same ambulance. I don't need my own stretcher; I can make it."

The man's lips thinned in hesitation, but he finally replied, "Alright, you can ride with him, but you're getting seen when we arrive." With that, he turned to his nurses, who had already gotten Kiba onto the stretcher and were preparing to roll him out of the house.

"He's going to critical care as soon as we get there," he ordered. "Let's go." They all began to leave, and Neji started limping after them when he was stopped by one of the policemen.

"I need you to explain to me what happened here," he said, gesturing to the ruined room as well as Kiba's father, who was still sprawled on the floor.

"Not right now," Neji said through gritted teeth. "I have to get to the hospital."

"Sir, please–

"Dalton, let's just get his statement later," his partner quickly interrupted. He pulled handcuffs from his back belt loop and pointed to Kiba's father. "Right now, let's just get this guy in custody."

"Alright. You can leave," the other man said.

"Thank you," Neji sincerely replied, before hobbling out to the ambulance. He knew he was making his leg worse even by limping, but he wasn't going to allow the attention to be shifted from Kiba; his friend needed help much more than he did.

"Hurry up!" one of the nurses shouted, head peeking out the back of the ambulance. Neji picked up his pace and grit his teeth through the pain, immensely relieved when a nurse hopped out and helped him the rest of the way. They climbed into the back of the ambulance together, and seconds later they were off.

Inside the car it was utter chaos. Hands were all over Kiba's unconscious form, feeling his stomach, prodding his arms and legs, sticking needles and tubes into him–

Neji turned away, unable to watch. He looked to one of the nurses who wasn't bustling around the vehicle quite as frantically and asked, "He's going to be okay, right?"

"We won't know anything until after surgery," the woman impatiently replied, straightening the IV in the other's skin.

"Surgery?" Neji reiterated.

"It appears that your friend has a broken rib that may have pierced his lung," she quickly explained. "Not only that, but the glass shards embedded in his stomach could quite possibly have pierced vital organs. We will have to operate on him immediately."

"Shit," the long-haired man said softly. "Probability that he'll make it through?"

"I'm sorry, but we don't have an answer for that right now. You're just going to have to wait," she said sharply, turning away from him to get back to the task at hand.

Neji's jaw worked and he stared down at his hands, watching them clench and unclench in a nervous fidget. For the first time in a long time he felt genuine fear churning in his stomach.

He was terrified– terrified of losing him.

HURTCOPEHEAL

When Sasuke came home it was to an empty apartment.

"Naruto?" he called, walking into the kitchen and looking around for his blonde idiot. His eyes caught sight of a note; he picked it up and read:

_Sasuke,_

_Went to the hospital. Kiba's in surgery. His father nearly killed him._

_Come by, if you want._

_Love you._

_-Naruto_

Sasuke sighed and set the note down, then put his coat back on and headed out to the car. He didn't know Kiba very well, but he did know that the man had saved his lover's life, and for that he deserved Sasuke's support.

He drove quickly to the hospital and when he arrived in the waiting room, he spotted Naruto with a large group of people, some looking as young as fifteen, some in their twenties, but all with similar looks of worry and fear on their faces.

"Naruto!" he called. The blonde's eyes snapped up to his, softening in relief at seeing him.

All of the others looked up and caught sight of him as well; he groaned as he realized that this was the martial arts crowd– they all began to whisper excitedly to themselves about his presence.

He glared at them and snapped, "You should be focused on your friend's health, not on me."

They looked away, suitably abashed, and Sasuke turned back to Naruto.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Fine," the blonde replied. "I'm just worried about Kiba."

"What happened, exactly?"

"I don't really know much," Naruto said tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face. "Iruka called me in a panic a few hours ago– said that Kiba had left Neji's house and gone back to his father's. Neji had gone to get him back, and promised he'd call Iruka once he'd done so– but apparently he didn't, so Iruka called 911."

"Lucky he did," Sasuke observed.

"Yeah," Naruto murmured softly.

"Come on, let's sit down," the dark-haired man suggested, gesturing to two free seats near a window. The blonde nodded in agreement and the two sat down together, unconsciously leading towards one another until their shoulders were touching.

Naruto glanced over to Neji, who looked gaunt and pale in the garish hospital lights. The long-haired man must've sensed his gaze, because he turned to look at him. At the sight of those white eyes, Naruto gasped a little– they were so _lifeless_. He looked as if...as if he'd already given up hope.

"Kiba had better be okay," the blonde whispered. He closed his eyes, crossed his fingers in his lap, and prayed that everything would be okay.

He just hoped that it would be enough.


	19. Fearing Darkness

**AN:** Welp, it's back to Sasu/Naru in the forefront this chappy. No Neji/Kiba today! But lots n lots of Sasu/Naru love-- so for those of you who weren't really feelin the other storyline, here ya go! Hope you enjoy. Thanks to all the reviewers. Let's get to 100 today!

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Neji/Kiba

**Warnings:** Bad language, violence

**Disclaimer:** Characters aren't mine.

--------------------------

It had been several hours, and it was getting late. Naruto had fallen asleep on Sasuke's shoulder, and the black-haired man himself was feeling a little drowsy. Everyone else had either left or spread out and taken up on various pieces of furniture to sleep. Only one man in the corner of the room looked wide awake and aware– Sasuke supposed the long-haired, white-eyed person was Neji.

Sasuke sat up and lifted Naruto's head from his shoulder, laying it back down against the arm rest before getting to his feet. He walked over to where Neji was sitting and took the chair beside him.

"Why have you refused to get seen?" he asked quietly.

"Because I don't need any medical attention right now," Neji replied through gritted teeth. "Kiba does."

"There's more than one doctor in this place, you know," Sasuke informed him. "They can work on you and Kiba at the same time."

"I know, but I want to stay," Neji snapped, turning blazing eyes on the other man. "I'm not leaving until I know what's happened."

Sasuke recognized that look, that stubbornness. A raging bull couldn't have taken him away from his spot outside Naruto's operating room the year before. "I understand," he said simply.

"You're not going to lecture me?" the other man asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sasuke shook his head calmly. "No. I'm just going to tell you that, from what I know about Kiba, he's not going to be happy about you doing this."

Neji's lips thinned and his jaw clenched. "I know," he said reluctantly.

"I can see from your eyes that you've got a concussion," Sasuke continued. He gestured down to the man's mottled shin, "And I wouldn't be surprised if that's broken."

"Look, I can handle–

"Excuse my interruption, gentlemen, but I have news about a... Kiba Inuzuka?" came the soft voice of a male doctor in front of him.

Both men immediately stood; Neji swayed on his feet as a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him.

"Are you alright, sir?" the doctor asked, eyeing his obvious injury.

"I'm fine, just tell me about Kiba, please," Neji said impatiently.

"Only if you agree to get seen," said another voice from behind the doctor; it was the same nurse who had been trying to get Neji to get looked over for the past two hours.

"Fine, whatever," the long-haired man snapped.

The nurse nodded to the doctor, who then began to speak. "He survived the surgery"– Neji's whole body went slack with relief– "However, he's got a long road of recovery ahead of him. We managed to save the entirety of the lung that was hit, and he will be able to breathe normally within the next few weeks. His rib won't heal for a while longer, though, but it will also be just fine with time. One of the glass shards did end up piercing his stomach; we had to stitch it back up, and he probably won't be able to eat normally for a while until it heals. Other than that, he's just got some bumps and bruises that'll heal with some rest and relaxation."

"Is he awake?" Neji asked.

"No, and he probably won't be until tomorrow," the doctor replied. "His anesthesia will take a while to wear off, and he's also been put on some very strong pain medication. It's going to be a while."

Neji nodded stiffly in response.

"Alright, you've been told what you wanted to know, now let's go," the irate nurse demanded.

Neji sighed and allowed the woman to help him over to the nearest hospital room. As he was poked and prodded the only thing on his mind was Kiba, and the poignant relief at knowing he was alright.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"So, you heard him, Kiba won't be up till tomorrow," Sasuke said, nudging his lover, who was still staring wide-eyed at the place where the doctor and Neji had just been speaking.

"What? Oh–yeah," Naruto said blearily, blinking and turning to face his lover.

"You look exhausted," Sasuke commented, eyeing the other's bloodshot eyes and pale complexion.

"Yeah," the blonde murmured. "I've been here for..." he looked briefly up at the clock on the wall, "Nearly nine hours now."

"Why don't we go home and you can come back in the morning?" Sasuke hesitantly suggested, knowing that Naruto would be hard-pressed to leave his friend alone.

"Do you think he really won't wake up until then?" Naruto asked uncertainly.

"I'm sure the doctor knew what he was talking about when he told Neji how long it would be," Sasuke said dryly.

"And Neji? Do you think he'll be alright?"

"They let him sit in the waiting room for nine hours," Sasuke deadpanned. "If he'd been critically injured, they would've gotten him back there sooner. He'll be fine; he just needs some rest and possibly some crutches for that leg."

"Yeah, you're probably right," the blonde said softly. He glanced around the room; everyone who had stayed– which was only Shikamaru and Temari, at this point– were getting up and beginning to leave after hearing the news. He sighed and turned back to his lover. "Yeah, okay, let's head home."

Sasuke nodded and the two got up; Naruto swayed a little on his feet and the dark-haired man put a steadying hand on his lower back. The blonde looked up at him and smiled gratefully, then they headed out of the hospital.

It was freezing outside, and Naruto, in his hurry to leave the house earlier, had forgotten to bring his jacket. Sasuke offered him his own, but the blonde declined with chattering teeth that he didn't need it.

"Dobe, take it," the dark-haired man said, rolling his eyes before peeling off his jacket and tossing it to the other man.

Naruto grumbled but put the warm piece of clothing on nevertheless. He opened his mouth to give a grudging thank you, when his lover suddenly grabbed him and crushed them both to the side of a wall, the blonde pressed tightly to his chest.

"Sasuke-wha–

"Shut up," the dark-haired man hissed sharply. He peeked around the side of the wall down the alleyway, and saw the three men who must've the people he'd heard mention Naruto's name seconds before. It was too dark to make out any of their features– there was only a dim streetlight several feet above them– but if he strained his ears, he could just make out what they were saying.

"You're clear on the plan then, doc?" came a rough, low voice. "You go in there and lure the brat out, and then we'll take care of him. Got it?"

"L-look, I'm not comfortable with this," said the familiar tenor of Dr. Tolman. Sasuke grit his teeth as automatic anger surged through him at the sound of the man's voice, but forced himself to focus on the situation at hand. "I only ever wanted to help my patient," the doctor fearfully continued. "I never wanted to get involved in all this!"

"Well, you are, so get over it," the same low voice snapped. "There's no backing out now."

"No," Dr. Tolman said, suddenly sounding brave. "I won't do it. I refuse."

There was some grunting and a commotion, and then a new, lilting voice spoke up, soft and eerily devoid of any emotion. "Leave him alone, now, Zetsu. If he doesn't want to participate, he doesn't have to."

"B-but, Leader– he'll go to the police. He'll squeal!" Zetsu's higher voice protested.

"I never said we'd let him leave," the other man said chillingly. "I just said that if he'd rather not help us capture Naruto, than he can choose the alternative."

The blonde went utterly still in Sasuke's arms at the mention of his name; the dark-haired man squeezed him tighter to his chest, a simultaneous offer of comfort and a warning not to speak.

"N-no, I won't do it, I don't care what you do to me!" Dr. Tolman yelled, and then his frantic voice was suddenly muffled.

"Very well, then," said the other voice, and the next sound they heard was the click of a gun.

"Framing it as a suicide again, sir?" Zetsu asked sweetly as Dr. Tolman's muffled screams sounded in the background.

Naruto began to struggle in Sasuke's hold, terrified at what they were about to let happen. "Sas–

The dark-haired man hurriedly clamped a hand down over his mouth and effectively stopped his speech; Naruto panicked and fought at his lover, but the other was stronger and held tight.

"Yes," was the last word they heard.

Then there was one single gunshot, and the sound of it echoed through the streets.

Naruto began to struggle wildly, but not until Sasuke heard the receding footsteps telling of the mens' departure did he let the blonde loose.

Naruto burst out of his grip and took off down the alleyway, frantically running towards where he'd heard the shot; suddenly the streetlight flickered bright and he stopped short at the gruesome sight in front of him.

Sasuke quickly sprinted after his lover, and nearly ran smack into his back.

"O-h, God," the blonde whispered hoarsely, before promptly falling to his knees and vomiting.

Hardened to such violence, Sasuke did not react to the bloody sight. Instead he kneeled down next to his frightened lover and murmured his name, then cautiously reached out and touched his trembling back.

At the contact Naruto recoiled sharply, grounding out, "Don't fucking touch me."

He wiped his mouth and stumbled to his feet, glaring at Sasuke with an intensity that the other man had never seen from him.

"Do you realize what we just let happen?" the blonde asked tremulously, hands shaking horribly as he gestured to Dr. Tolman's mutilated body.

"They would've killed you, Naruto," Sasuke said quietly. "Didn't you hear what they were saying? You would've been running right into their hands."

"I don't care!" Naruto exploded. "Anything would have been better than just–just _listening_ to–to–

He broke off and put his head in his hands, shoulders heaving with gasping breaths.

"Naruto," Sasuke sighed, feeling his insides constrict at the sight. He cautiously approached his lover and wrapped his arms around the shaking shoulders; the other struggled weakly and then simply broke down in his hold.

"I can't– I can't believe that just happened," he whimpered, clutching desperately at his lover, face pressed hotly into his neck. "He–he never wanted to–to hurt me, and now he's– he's–

"You couldn't have stopped it, Naruto," Sasuke murmured into the other's blonde hair, stroking down his quivering back. "He refused to do what they wanted. They weren't going to let him go free with the knowledge he had about their plans, whether you interfered or not."

"I kn-know," Naruto choked out. "B-but I still feel like–like I could've–

"I know," Sasuke softly interrupted. "I know. But you couldn't have done anything to stop it." Naruto merely shook harder. "Calm down, now, it's over," the dark-haired man tried to soothe. "It's alright, Naruto."

"It's n-not," Naruto whispered, digging his fingers into the other's shirt as his whole body shook. "They killed him because of _me_."

"No," Sasuke said firmly, pulling back so he could stare intensely into the other's shining blue eyes. "They killed him because he was playing with fire and then decided that he didn't want to play anymore. You can't do that with the Akatsuki, Naruto. If you're going to start doing their dirty work, like he did, then you have to finish it– or you're done for."

Naruto merely sniffled and burrowed back against the other man, wanting to hide within his lover's chest and never pull away. A few seconds later, however, they heard sirens– someone must have called the police when they heard the gunshots– and they had to pull apart as two large uniformed men came running down the alleyway towards them.

"What happened here?" one of them demanded while his partner eyed the bloody mass that was Dr. Tolman.

"Looks like a suicide," the other man muttered, eyeing the gun still clutched in the man's hand.

"No, it wasn't," Naruto protested shakily. "He didn't kill himself– he was murdered."

"That's a very serious accusation, sir," said the man still in front of them. "You'll have to explain yourself down at the police station."

Sasuke opened his mouth to protest but Naruto elbowed him and said, "That's fine, officer. Just tell me what I need to do."

"Well, I'll call in for backup, and when they arrive my partner and I will take you back to the station for a formal statement," the cop explained. "Alright?"

Naruto nodded determinedly. "Yes, sir."

The man looked to Sasuke. "Were you a witness as well?"

"Yes," the dark-haired man reluctantly confirmed. "And I'll... ride with you as well, if that's possible."

"We can fit five in the car," the policeman grunted in agreement as he pulled out his radio. He walked away and began to speak on it, voice cool and detached as he called for back up.

Sasuke turned to Naruto, glaring a little. "We don't need to do this right now," he whispered sharply. "We're both exhausted. We should go home and get some rest first, then go back in the morning."

"Not a chance, Sasuke," Naruto stubbornly refused. "We could forget some vital detail by tomorrow. This isn't child's play, anymore. This is serious shit– we just witnessed a _murder. _We have to do our part to catch those bastards."

Knowing he couldn't persuade his lover at this point, Sasuke grunted and waited in silence for the policeman to be ready for them. A few minutes later, another cop car screeched up to the scene, and two more policemen appeared; they walked down the alleyway and nodded to their coworkers, who gestured for Sasuke and Naruto to follow them.

They got into the car and started on their way, the two policemen in front, Naruto and Sasuke in the back. On the way, Sasuke's fingers found Naruto's, and the blonde laced their hands together, grateful for the contact.

It was going to be a long night.

HURTCOPEHEAL

Several hours later, and the two were finally heading out of the police station, both looking haggard and exhausted. They'd given the police every detail they could remember, and now it was up to them to find the men who had killed Dr. Tolman and who had planned to kill Naruto.

They walked outside into the brisk night air; it was about three in the morning, and Sasuke had to be at work in two hours. They probably wouldn't be home for another half an hour; the car was still at the hospital, so they'd have to walk back and then drive the rest of the way.

Needless to say, Sasuke was a little grumpy. He'd make it through tomorrow, of course, but he knew he needed at least seven hours of sleep to perform at optimum level. Considering the fact that he had a hearing quite early in the morning, he was not happy about this fact.

"You're scowling," Naruto said absently, glancing up at his lover as they walked.

Sasuke grunted, staring straight ahead.

Naruto took the hint and was silent for the rest of the way. Once they got back to the hospital the blonde asked hesitantly, "Can I go inside and see if Kiba's woken up yet?"

"No," Sasuke barked. When his lover flinched he sighed and said, "Look, I doubt if they'd even let you in at this point. It's three in the morning."

"I know, but..." he trailed off, biting his lip. "I just want to try. It'll only take a second."

"Fine," Sasuke sighed. "I'll be in the car. Make it quick."

Naruto nodded and scampered into the hospital. Once inside he went to the front desk to find out where Kiba's room was; he cursed quietly when he saw that there was no one there. He glanced around the hospital; it was eerily empty in the early morning hours. He felt his hair stand on end; something didn't feel quite right.

He heard footsteps behind him and he whirled around, eyes wide and panicked; he came face to face with a rather odd-looking doctor and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hello, sir," he greeted. "Could you help me find what room my friend's staying in?"

"Sure," the man said in a low, rough voice. "What's his name?"

"Kiba Inuzuka," Naruto replied.

The man didn't even need to go to the computer to check; he merely gestured for Naruto to follow him and said, "Right this way."

The blonde followed him, trying to ignore the blaring signals in his brain that were telling him something about this situation was _not right._

They rounded the corner and then the other man stopped and pointed at the door in front of them.

Naruto offered him a smile and began to step forward, saying briskly, "Thank you for mmf–

A hand suddenly clamped over his mouth and he was slammed into the wall, one arm bent awkwardly behind him.

"Don't make a sound," the low voice growled into his ear, digging his fingers into the other's bicep. "Or I'll break your arm."

Naruto struggled, eyes widening in poignant fear; he suddenly remembered seeing Kiba locked in this same hold and attempted to execute the same escape; he threw his head back in a desperate attempt to head-butt the man– but the other had obviously been expecting it, because he lifted his hand off of the blonde's mouth, grabbed Naruto's hair, and slammed his face into the wall.

"Fuck," the blonde cursed loudly as pain spread through the side of his face. Realizing his mouth was free he cried out, "Help! Help mmf–"

The hand clamped down over his mouth again– and then a gun jabbed sharply into his side.

Naruto went utterly still, suddenly very afraid.

"If I hear you _breathe_, I'll shoot," the voice promised menacingly.

The blonde swallowed, tried not to give in to the panicked gasps rising in his throat. The hand left his mouth and he heard the man pulling something out of his pocket; the next thing he felt was the uncomfortable sensation of duct tape being wrapped tightly over his lips, effectively cutting off his speech, and then around his wrists, locking them together. All the while the only thing Naruto could focus on was the tip of the gun pressed deeply into his side.

"Alright, kid, walk," the man ordered, pulling him off the wall and shoving him forward, hard. Naruto stumbled, caught off balance with his arms so awkwardly bent behind him, and only just barely managed to right himself. The man snickered a little and pressed the gun into his back, leading him down the dark hallway with sharp jabs and shoves.

They walked about halfway down before they heard someone call out, "Naruto! Naruto, where are you?"

_Sasuke_, Naruto immediately recognized.

The man stopped in his tracks and threw Naruto around the nearest corner, grabbing his jaw and growling darkly, "Don't try anything, or I'll kill him."

He let his face go and the blonde let it fall to his chest, breathing hard. He heard the footsteps as the man walked back around the corner and approached his lover, and strained his ears to hear their conversation.

"Excuse me, sir, but no visitors can be here after hours," said the voice of his captor.

"I'm looking for a friend who came in here a few minutes ago," Sasuke impatiently replied. "Blonde hair, kind of short...?"

"Ah, yes, I did see him," the other man said smoothly. "I told him that he had to leave. He must be outside somewhere."

Naruto cursed in his head; he had to do something, or Sasuke was going to believe this man's lies and leave him here to be... he shook himself, not wanting to thinking about it.

He very slowly, very cautiously scooted across the floor until the back of his head was nearly at the corner of the wall. He peeked around and saw his lover talking with the impersonating doctor, and he prayed that Sasuke's peripheral vision would catch a glimpse of him; all he needed was for the other to know that he was _here_, and he was sure he'd be alright.

Sasuke's black eyes flickered over to his own for a split second; he's seen him! But relief was quickly replaced by panic as Naruto realized that the other man had seen the switch of his lover's gaze; the hulking man angrily whipped out his gun and whirled around towards Naruto with murder in his eyes.

"You little brat!" he yelled, firing two shots.

Naruto gave a muffled scream and pressed himself back against the wall, watching the plaster across from him splatter and feeling dust rain down upon him.

He heard a commotion and peeked around again; Sasuke was slamming one fist into the man's stomach while his other hand held the man's wrist high in the air, causing the gun to be pointed up to the ceiling as it fired.

Naruto hurriedly scrambled to his feet, terrified for his lover, and ran out to help.

"Naruto, stay back!" Sasuke yelled as he attempted to wrestle the gun away from the struggling man. The other yanked on his trapped arm and succeeded in aiming it in Naruto's direction; the blonde threw himself to the ground just before it fired.

"Get off of me!" Zetsu barked, bringing a knee up towards Sasuke's groin. The dark-haired man dodged the blow and caught the other's collar, then turned him around and slammed him into the wall, face twisted in a snarl.

"What the hell's going on here!?" came the startled voice of a female nurse as she bustled towards the scene. She gasped when she saw the gun and let out a high-pitched shriek when a shot was fired up into the ceiling. She hurried over to a small communicator outside of one of the hospital rooms and pressed a button, then called out desperately, "Security! Help! We have a situation!"

Zetsu was momentarily distracted, and Sasuke took the opportunity to finally wrestle the gun out of his hand. Unfortunately, in the process he'd let go of Zetsu, and this left the other man without anything to keep him pinned to the wall.

He lunged for Naruto, who was still prone on the floor; the blonde let out a muffled shout and tried to throw himself backwards; the other landed on top of him and grabbed him by the neck, slamming his head into the ground before squeezing his throat viciously.

"Fuck!" Sasuke cursed, throwing the gun to the side and hurrying to his lover, latching onto the insane man's back and pulling him as hard as he could. Zetsu resisted, eyes locked on Naruto's, intent on watching the life fade from the pretty blue irises as he slammed the blonde head over and over again into the ground and dug his fingers into the tanned column of skin...

"Remove yourself!" shouted a security officer, hurtling towards the three men. He joined Sasuke and together they finally managed to pry Zetsu off of Naruto. The security man wrangled the former to the side and swiftly handcuffed him, while Sasuke went straight to Naruto

The blonde's eyes were wide and terrified and his whole body was convulsing as he tried desperately to suck in air through his nose. Sasuke slid an arm underneath his shoulders and pulled him up so that he was sitting, then gave him a brief look of apology before ripping the duct tape off of his lips.

Naruto cried out but the pain was short-lived, to be quickly replaced by poignant relief at finally being able to _breathe. _He gasped in short, shallow breaths and leaned against his lover, clenching his eyes shut and hiding his face in the man's chest.

"It's alright," Sasuke said quietly, wrapping an arm around the shuddering body.

"Sir, can you tell me what–

"No, damnit," Sasuke barked, glaring up at the security man who had addressed him. "I'm taking him home. Right now. End of story."

"But–

Sasuke gave him a vaguely murderous look, and growled, "Put that fucker in custody till tomorrow morning. We will come to the police station and tell them whatever they need to know then. Understood?"

The man nodded stiffly and turned away, heading towards his fellow security officer, who was holding a snarling Zetsu in his grip.

"Let's get him out of here," he muttered, and the two each took one of Zetsu's arms and hauled him towards the hospital door.

As soon as they were gone, Sasuke carefully pulled his lover to his feet, then turned him around so that he could get off the tape holding his wrists together. The blonde's head fell tiredly to his chest; he barely had the strength to stand anymore.

"Um, sir?" called the cautious voice of the female nurse who had called for security.

Sasuke looked up as he worked the tape free, eyebrows raised in question.

"I know you two probably want to get home," she began hesitantly. "But I think I should look over your friend. He could have a concussion."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, biting back the urge to snap at the woman. "I think I can handle it at home, thanks."

She approached him and put a hand on his arm. "Please. It won't take long."

Sasuke sighed, irritated. "Alright, fine," he muttered.

She gave him a gentle smile and took Naruto's arm, turning to face him with her kind, caring expression. "Let's go make sure nothing's hurt too badly, okay?"

"'kay," the blonde mumbled mindlessly, allowing her to lead him. Sasuke frowned; Naruto would have ordinarily protested vehemently to the idea of being checked out by a doctor. Something must've been really wrong.

He let it go and quickly caught up with them, eyes focused entirely on Naruto. They entered a small, stuffy little room, and the nurse gestured for Naruto to lie down on the bed. The blonde went to do so and then stumbled a little, one knee buckling underneath him.

"Easy," Sasuke warned, catching his lover by the waist and righting him.

"I...don't feel good," Naruto murmured, bringing a hand up to grasp his head as he swayed dangerously.

Sasuke, concerned, helped his lover into the bed, then turned towards the nurse, expression questioning.

"Like I said, I think he may have a concussion," the nurse said regretfully. "Let me take a look."

Sasuke obediently stepped aside, and she began to poke and prod at his lover, shining lights into his eyes, making him try and follow her fingers with his eyes, feeling the back of his head and asking where it hurt; it was a good ten minutes before she turned back around, face serious but not gravely so.

"He's got a concussion, but it's a minor one," she explained. "He should probably stay overnight, so we can make sure he doesn't sleep for too long at one time."

At this prospect, Naruto's eyes widened and he fearfully protested, "No. No, I want to go home."

"Naruto, you'll be fine," Sasuke quickly intervened.

"Please," Naruto whispered, eyes locking on Sasuke's, an unusual terror lurking there. "I don't want to stay here."

Sasuke looked to the nurse and said quietly, "Could I have a minute?"

"Oh, yes, no problem," she said briskly, heading for the door. "Take as long as you need."

"Thank you," Sasuke said respectfully. Once she was gone he turned back to Naruto, who was staring down at his trembling hands, expression twisted in distress.

"I won't make you stay," the dark-haired man said, taking a seat beside the blonde.

"But you think I should," Naruto finished for him, looking up to meet his gaze.

Sasuke reached out, brushed a stray lock of blonde away from the other's face. "I think it would be best, yes."

"Well, I'm not going to," Naruto said softly, but firmly.

Sasuke briefly considering arguing with the other man, but, knowing it would be futile, said resolutely, "Alright. Let's go, then."

"W-wait, what?" the blonde stuttered, startled. "You're not going to fight me about it?"

"No," Sasuke declined, a little irritated at the reminder of his previous bullheadedness. "If you don't want to stay here, then I'll take you home."

Naruto reached up and wrapped his arms around his lover's neck, squeezing briefly before pulling back, expression inordinately grateful. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

Taken aback a little, Sasuke nodded stiffly. "No problem."

The nurse knocked quietly and peeked her head in. "Have you guys decided what you'd like to do?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied. "I'm going to take care of him at home."

"You do realize what procedures–

"Yes. Constant hydration, timed rests, no excessive activity. I know the drill," Sasuke said impatiently.

"Well, alright," the nurse said reluctantly. "Because it's only a minor concussion, I'm okay with letting you take him, but please be sure to bring him back if anything seems off. Agreed?"

"Of course," Sasuke replied. "Thank you for looking him over."

She smiled and offered him a polite nod in farewell. "No problem. Be careful taking him home."

Sasuke nodded and turned to his lover. "Ready?"

"Yeah," the blonde mumbled, pulling himself to the edge of the bed and preparing to stand.

"Would you like a wheelchair?" the nurse asked kindly. "Just to get out to your vehicle."

"No," Naruto said stubbornly. "I'll be fine."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and slipped an arm around his lover's waist, hoisting him onto his feet and pressing him against his side for support.

"Have a good night," the nurse said, suppressing a smile at the sight.

"You too," Naruto said, a bit grumpily as Sasuke practically carried him out the door.

His irritation was quickly forgotten as they made their way through the ruined, plaster covered area in which just minutes before he'd spent several terrifying moments thinking that he was going to die. He gulped and tried not to think about it, leaning against Sasuke and taking comfort in his quiet strength and support. They made it out to the car and drove home in silence, Naruto leaning against the window, staring wide-eyed out into the dark, and Sasuke stealing glances at him throughout the ride.

When they finally got home Naruto sat for a moment, not wanting to get up; he was bone-deep exhausted, and he knew that he was much too on edge to be able to sleep tonight.

He was vaguely aware of Sasuke getting out of the driver's seat, closing the door, and coming around to his side, and he let the other man help him out of the car before mindlessly allowing him to lead him into the apartment and to their bedroom. Once there he slowly stripped down to his boxers and laid down, watching Sasuke as he undressed and went to turn out the light.

When the darkness fell upon him Naruto felt acute panic; he hurriedly blurted, "N-no, turn it back on."

Sasuke flipped the switch and stared at him, eyebrows raised in question.

"Can we keep them on tonight?" the blonde asked softly, vulnerably.

Sasuke's lips thinned; he remembered this Naruto– he had been like this for the first few weeks after coming back from the hospital the year before, unable to handle being in the dark and terrified of his own shadow– they were back to square one, it seemed.

Sasuke refused to go back without a fight.

"I'll be right next to you, Naruto," he reasoned. "You'll be fine."

Naruto bit his lip, wishing the other man would just acquiesce with what he wanted and go to sleep. He couldn't handle a fight with his lover on top of everything else. "Sasuke, please," he murmured. "Just for tonight."

"If we do this tonight, it's just going to keep happening," the other man stubbornly replied.

"No," Naruto said weakly. "I promise. After tonight, I'll be okay again."

"That's what you're going to say tomorrow, and the next day," Sasuke said dryly. "Remember? We've gone through this before. I'm not going through it again."

"Fine," Naruto snapped. "Just turn them off, then. I don't care."

"Naruto," Sasuke sighed, irritated. When the other didn't respond he sighed again, turned to the light switch and flipped it off, then crawled into bed beside his lover. Naruto was lying stiffly on his side, facing away from Sasuke, fingers clutching the blankets in a white-knuckled grip. The dark-haired man hesitantly reached out and splayed his fingers on the other's shoulder; the blonde flinched, then turned around to face him. Sasuke could see his wide, frightened eyes shimmering in the dark.

"You're alright," the dark-haired man said quietly. "You're safe."

The blonde didn't reply, so Sasuke moved closer and pulled his lover against his chest. Naruto felt warmth surround him as the two strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, and he tried to focus on it, on his lover; the heart beating steadily against his ear and the hands running down his back– but all he could think of was the all encompassing darkness and the cruel touches that came with; vicious fists and teeth and nails scraping his skin, fingers on his neck, squeezing, squeezing–

"You're shaking," Sasuke murmured. He pulled back to look at the other's expression; the blonde's eyes were large and unfocused– he was lost somewhere in his mind, reliving the horrors lurking there, no doubt. "Naruto," he called, holding the other's face and shaking it gently. "Look at me. Come on, dobe, come back."

Naruto lifted his shaking fingers and wrapped them around his lover's wrists, squeezing as tightly as he could, trying desperately to ground himself.

Sasuke threaded his fingers through the other's hair and brought his head to his shoulder, tucking it neatly under his chin and feeling the hold on his wrists lessen slightly at the contact. He felt the blonde begin to relax for one brief moment– but then his body seized up again and he began to shake uncontrollably as new memories assaulted his mind.

"Calm down, Naruto," Sasuke said, a little helplessly. He'd forgotten how difficult it was to help his lover when he got to this point; it had been a while since he'd had one quite this bad. "I'll...turn on the lights, alright?" he said, kneading the skin on the back of his lover's neck. "I'll be right back, okay? I promise."

He slowly retracted himself from the other man, wincing when the blonde whimpered and curled in on himself, newfound terror shaking his limbs at the prospect of being alone in the darkness. Sasuke hurried to the door and flicked the light switch up; the sudden onslaught of brightness made him blink several times, and when his eyes cleared he immediately looked to Naruto, who was, thankfully, sitting upright, looking wide awake and fully aware.

"Alright?" Sasuke asked, relieved, cautiously approaching the man.

"Y-yeah," the blonde said shakily. "Sorry bout that."

"Don't apologize," Sasuke said firmly, taking a seat next to his lover. "It's my fault...for pushing you too hard. I should have listened." His voice lowered a little, and he continued stiffly, "I'm sorry."

Naruto gave him a gentle, sad smile and laid back down, patting the spot next to him forgivingly. "It's okay," he murmured. "Come on, let's just...let's just go to sleep."

Sasuke nodded and settled down against the mattress, smirking a little when the blonde sidled up against him, nuzzling his face into his neck and winding his arms around his waist. The dark-haired man wrapped his own arms back around the other's shoulders and closed his eyes to sleep.

"Sasuke?" Naruto whispered, just before the other slipped into unconsciousness.

"What?" Sasuke asked, biting back irritation; he still had a hearing in the morning, and at this point he had about an hour of sleep left to take advantage of before he had to leave.

"When is this gonna stop?"

And then Sasuke felt like an ass for the thought; there was such a poignant, obvious helplessness in the other's voice– he'd gone through so much, and he still hadn't gotten peace. Sasuke wished he could give his lover the answer he so desperately needed to hear; but all he could manage to say was, "I don't know, Naruto. I don't know."

The truth of the situation hit them both, then. Neither of them slept for the remainder of the night.


	20. Epiphanies

**AN:** Um, yeah.. I don't really know what to say about this chapter. I'm okay with it, I guess. It's kind of a filler-- some things had to get done in order to move the story along, so yeah. I think I'm just having one of those weird I-hate-my-writing days. Meh. You tell me what you think.

Oh, by the way, the only response I got for other couples people would like to see was Shika/Temari, so I will work on that! If anyone has an idea for Ino or any other character, let me know.

**Warnings:** Cursing, Sasuke being an ass.

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Neji/Kiba

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

----------------------

When Kiba woke up the first thing he thought of was Neji.

This was followed shortly by _ow, fuck, I hurt._

"Mr. Inuzuka? How are you feeling?" came a kind voice somewhere to his left.

The brunette bit back the urge to give a sarcastic retort to the woman and merely rasped, "Not great."

"That's understandable," she replied as she checked his vitals. "You went through several hours of surgery last night."

"Oh. Right." Kiba tried to think back to the tumultuous evening, but his mind could only bring up bits and pieces of it. "Where's...where's Neji? Is he okay?"

"Right here," said a low voice on his right. "And I'm fine."

Kiba turned, startled, and met those silver eyes, feeling relief flood through him at the sight of them. "Neji," he breathed, wanting to touch him, just to make sure he was really there in front of him.

Neji's lips quirked up in a half-smile. "Hey," he said softly. "You alright?"

Kiba nodded, throat suddenly feeling dry as images rose unbidden to his mind– warm lips on his own; tears, blood and bruises; hands in his hair and fingers smoothing over his skin– his stomach flipped and his breath quickened at the memories. He glanced over to the nurse, and he suddenly wished she would just _leave,_ so that–so that maybe they could...

_What? Do it again? _his mind sneered_. He probably doesn't even remember doing it, Kiba. Don't get your hopes up._

"You okay in there?" Neji asked, looking amused.

"What? O-oh, yeah," Kiba stuttered, broken out of his reverie. "I was just... uh, thinking. About you. I mean, about your health. You know, your leg, and everything."

Neji smirked wider. "Sure," he replied.

Kiba colored at his tone. "Nothing seriously injured, then?" he tried to cover, making his voice as clinical as he could.

"No," Neji confirmed, still sounding vaguely amused. He sobered and gestured over to the crutches leaning against the wall beside him. "My shin is fractured. It'll be okay in a few weeks, though."

"And your head?" Kiba asked. A memory flashed in his brain, then, and he shuddered as he remembered the sound of the club crashing into the other and the sight of his body crumpling from the blow.

"It's fine," Neji reassured, frowning in concern as he watched Kiba's expression close off and his eyes become troubled. "Just a minor concussion. The symptoms should be gone by tomorrow."

"Good," Kiba said distantly.

"Alright, Kiba, everything's looking normal," the nurse informed them before Neji could reply. Kiba shook himself out of his memories and focused on her words as she continued, "You'll probably be sleeping a lot over the next few days as you recover from the surgery, but you're not allowed to move much anyway so that shouldn't be a problem."

"Great," Kiba said sarcastically. "Looking forward to _that_."

She waved a warning finger at him. "I don't want any complaining from you, Mr. Inuzuka."

"Fat chance of that happening," Neji chuckled.

"Shut up," Kiba whined, swiping weakly at him.

The nurse smiled gently at their antics, then sobered and said briskly, "Well, just press the button on the wall by your head– yes, right there– if you need anything. I have to go see another patient, but I'll be back soon to check on you, alright?"

"'kay," Kiba replied. "Thanks."

She nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Kiba had roughly two seconds to prepare before Neji's mouth was on top of his own, lips warm and full; the brunette blinked, stomach flipping in surprise and some other fluttery feeling, and then he kissed back, mouth moving deeply against the other's and fingers reaching up to grip the long brown hair.

Neji pulled back, breathing hard, to stare down at Kiba's face, lips bowing in a satisfied curve at the heady expression the other was wearing.

"I've been waiting to do that all day," he murmured, bringing up a hand to smooth over Kiba's jaw, down his neck, fingertips stroking the hot skin; the other man shivered and wrapped his hand around the back of the other's neck, then pulled him down to his lips once again.

Neither of them heard the door open– they were too caught up in each other– and it was only when someone cleared their throat that they abruptly pulled away, cheeks coloring in embarrassment.

"Naruto!" Kiba stiffly greeted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Hey, Kiba," the blonde replied, rather listlessly. He gestured weakly to the two of them before muttering, "I, uh, I didn't know you two were–

"We're not," Kiba hastened to say. "We just, ah, you know, haven't really figured it out yet..."

Naruto waved it off, beginning to step towards the door. "You don't have to explain. I just wanted to see if you were okay. I see you're doing fine, so–"

"Naruto, wait," Kiba interrupted, bewildered. "You don't have to leave."

"Nah, I probably shouldn't be here right now anyway," the blonde quickly replied. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Err, alright," Kiba said. "Bye, then."

The blonde hurriedly left the room, and Kiba turned to stare at Neji, expression confused.

"What was _that _all about?"

Neji grunted, looking oddly irritated. "He probably just didn't want to be around _you_ for that long."

Kiba flinched, taken aback. "What's wrong with you?"

Neji's jaw clenched, and he turned away, not responding.

Kiba's eyebrows furrowed; he thought back to the last few minutes– what had he done to make the other angry? A veiled insult? A flippant remark?

And then it hit him.

He smiled widely, eyes glittering and smug. "You're upset that I denied our 'relationship', aren't you?" he asked delightedly, continuing in a teasing coo, "You want to be my boooyfriend, don't you, Neji?"

Neji colored. "Screw you," he growled, hobbling to his feet and grabbing his crutches.

"Woah, there, I'm just teasing!" Kiba cried exasperatedly, reaching out to pull the other back down; at the movement, sudden, burning pain galloped through his side, and he gasped, eyes clenching shut as his body automatically curled in on itself, spasming and trembling.

"Shit, Kiba," Neji cursed, sitting next to him and gripping his hand. "Are you alright? Do you need me to call the nurse back?"

"M'okay," the other said through gritted teeth, squeezing Neji's fingers like a lifeline as the pain slowly began to fade.

Neji sighed and brought his other hand up to smooth Kiba's hair. "Stubborn idiot," he murmured fondly.

Kiba opened his eyes to glare at him, but the lingering pain made it significantly weaker than he would've liked.

"You alright?" Neji asked, fingers ghosting over the other's forehead to curl around his cheek.

Kiba turned and instinctively pressed his lips to the other's palm, then pulled back, blushing a little in embarrassment. "Uh, s-sorry, I don't know–

"Don't apologize," Neji said, lips quirking up a little at the sides. He traced the other's lips with his finger tips; felt the plump skin quiver at his touch. "I don't mind."

Kiba's cheeks warmed, and he bit his lip, looking away from the other man as an unusual shyness stole over him. "I'm...sorry if I upset you just now. I just didn't–I didn't know how to respond. I didn't know how you _wanted_ me to respond."

Neji leaned forward, kissed Kiba's jaw. "What I want," he whispered, lips trailing up to his chin, then just above his mouth. "Is you."

Kiba swallowed thickly and met Neji's gaze, feeling his heart thunder in his ears as he took a breath and softly, firmly replied, "I... want you too, Neji."

HURTCOPEHEAL

Naruto ran as fast as he could out of the hospital, making it about twenty feet down the sidewalk before his knees buckled and dry heaves rose in his throat; he bent at the waist and his stomach began to spasm violently.

"Oh, goodness, are you alright, sir?" came a frightened voice from somewhere above him.

Naruto coughed, wiping his mouth on his sleeve before looking up at the elderly woman. "I'm okay," he wheezed. "I just need a minute."

"You don't look okay," she said doubtfully. "Are you sure you don't want some help getting to the hospital or something?"

"No, no," Naruto said quickly. "Really, I'm fine."

"Well, alright...if you say so," she said softly, staring at him concernedly for a moment longer before turning on her heel and heading on her way.

Naruto cursed under his breath and rubbed a shaky hand over his face. "Should've listened to Sasuke," he muttered resentfully. He'd been told not to get out of bed and to drink lots of water; but he and his stupid, stubborn self had decided to come and visit Kiba anyway, and here he was, sick on the sidewalk after just barely managing not to vomit all over his friend.

Sasuke was not going to be happy.

He hauled himself slowly up to his feet, swaying a little as lightheadedness stole over him; it was a full minute before he could get his legs to cooperate and start walking home. On the way his vision tunneled in and out several times, and there were a couple moments when he was sure he was going to slip completely into unconsciousness; but finally, at long last, he made it to the apartment.

He tiredly unlocked the door and stepped inside, then promptly dropped the keys as his eyes alighted on his lover, standing in the middle of the room with an ice pack pressed to his face.

"Jesus, Sasuke, you scared me," he breathed, leaning down to pick up the fallen keys; nausea overwhelmed him for a moment and he fell to one knee, bringing a shaky hand up to his hot forehead as it throbbed painfully.

"Dobe, I thought I told you not to get out of bed," Sasuke barked, storming over to him and hauling him up by the arm. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I-I just wanted to see Kiba," Naruto whispered, latching onto his lover's shirt for balance. He glanced up to the other's face, eyes roving over the dark purple bruise. "What happened to you? Are you okay?"

"It doesn't matter," Sasuke snapped. "Go get in bed and I'll bring you something to drink. You're never going to recover if you keep on like this, Naruto."

Naruto bit his lip and obediently trudged to the bedroom, head bowed like a scolded child.

Sasuke sighed, annoyed, and went to the kitchen to fill a glass of water. He headed to their bedroom and nearly stumbled over Naruto, who was strewn on the ground, limbs tangled up underneath him.

"What the hell, dobe?" Sasuke said frustratedly, reaching over the other man to set the water as well as his ice pack down on the night stand before turning back to his lover.

"I fell," the blonde mumbled, peering up at him with large, unfocused blue eyes.

"Obviously," the other snapped, slipping his arms underneath his lover's and pulling him to his feet.

Naruto swayed, and then abruptly dropped, eyes rolled back in unconsciousness.

"Shit," Sasuke cursed, catching him easily and guiding his body to the bed. "Stupid idiot," he muttered, pulling the blankets up over his body.

Naruto groaned and his eyes slowly flickered open. "Wha– how did I...?"

"You just passed out for a second," Sasuke said tersely. "You're dehydrated, and that's making you lightheaded."

"Oh," Naruto mumbled, blearily rubbing his eyes before letting them droop shut again.

"Don't fall asleep," Sasuke ordered, frustration from the day making his voice harsher and colder than need be. "Sit up. You need to drink something."

Naruto felt too sick to glare at his lover for the tone, and merely obeyed, shakily pulling himself up into sitting position and closing his eyes against the nausea that assaulted him.

"Here," Sasuke said, holding the glass of water up to Naruto's lips. The blonde opened his mouth and drank, forcing himself to finish the entire glass before pulling away and slumping, exhausted, back against the pillows.

"When will I stop feeling like this?" he groaned, bringing a hand up to press against his burning forehead.

"When you stop acting like an idiot and start doing what I tell you to do," Sasuke snapped. "You'd be fine by now if you'd just listened to me."

Naruto flinched, looked down at his hands. "I know," he murmured. "I guess I...didn't really think it through."

"Yeah, obviously," Sasuke retorted derisively.

"Goddamnit, I get the point!" Naruto exploded, feeling that sensation of sudden rage crawling underneath his skin that he hadn't felt for weeks. "I made a mistake, and now I'm paying for it– if all you want to do is point that out, then feel free to leave me the hell alone because I don't want to hear it!"

He stopped, breathing hard, head feeling twice as hot and heavy as it did previously. Everything hurt; he bent at the waist and brought both hands up to tug at his blonde hair, trying to neutralize the pain somehow.

"Naruto," Sasuke said softly, vaguely shocked; the blonde's anger problem hadn't acted up for a while. He hesitantly reached out to smooth his hand down the other's back and reluctantly hedged, "I'm sorry, okay? Just...just take it easy." He rubbed the muscles underneath his fingertips for a few long minutes, feeling his lover slowly begin to relax under his ministrations.

After a while the blonde looked up, peered at him with vulnerable blue eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to freak out like that."

"It's fine, Naruto," Sasuke quickly brushed off. "Now come on, you need to sleep."

"Will you lay with me?" Naruto asked, voice quiet.

Sasuke moved his fingers to brush over the back of his lover's neck, kneading the skin there; a sort of apology for his earlier snappishness. "Yeah, dobe, move over," he murmured.

Naruto scooted to the side, expression distinctly relieved. Sasuke climbed into bed and sat against the headboard, smirking fondly when Naruto immediately curled up beside him and rested his head in his lap. The dark-haired man brought a hand up and began running his fingers through the soft blonde hair; his lover hummed in pleasure, nuzzling closer to him as his eyes drifted shut.

"Hey, Sasuke?" the blonde asked softly, forcing himself to stay conscious. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

"Forget about it," Sasuke replied. "Just go to sleep, dobe."

"Kay," the blonde whispered. After a moment, his fingers, formerly tracing idle circles on the other's thigh, suddenly curled tight around the cloth of the other's jeans. "Will you stay? Until I fall asleep?"

Sasuke frowned, hating how far the other had backtracked into his previous paranoia, but decided not to comment on it. "Fine," he grunted.

"Really?" the blonde asked, surprised. "You don't have any work to do?"

Sasuke stiffened, then. "No," he said, voice frigid in lingering anger. "And I probably won't have any for a while."

"What?" the blonde asked, tone growing worried. "Did something happen with your job?"

"I walked by Orochimaru's lawyer's room today and noticed that he left his door open," Sasuke began stiffly. "And I... I decided to take a look to see if I could find anything incriminating."

"Wow, Sasuke the spy," Naruto joked, unable to keep the incredulousness out of his tone. _I can't believe he'd jeopardize his job over this. Over me._

"Yeah, well, apparently I'm not so good at it; Kabuto caught me," Sasuke said ruefully.

Naruto sat up a little and traced a finger over the dark bruise circling his lover's eye. "Is that where this came from?" he asked.

Sasuke looked away, cheeks staining a bit. "Lucky hit," he muttered. "I wasn't prepared for it."

"Sasuke Uchiha, number one fighter in the US, not prepared for a punch?" Naruto teased.

Sasuke stiffened in surprise. "How'd you find out about that?"

"Was I not supposed to?" the blonde asked, irritation creeping into his tone.

Sasuke put his hands up in innocence. "I don't care, really. I was just asking how you knew."

"Well I certainly didn't find out from you," Naruto retorted, still sounding a little ticked. "Kiba told me during class last week."

"Ah," Sasuke replied, looking away from the other man's angry eyes. After a minute he sighed and turned back to the blue gaze. "Look, Naruto, it's in my past. I didn't think it'd matter if I told you."

Naruto took a breath, then slowly exhaled. "Sasuke," he said softly, reaching out to stroke his cheek. "When will you understand that I want to know _everything_ about you? Every," he paused to press his lips to his lover's, "Last," another kiss, "Detail."

There was a moment of poignant silence; then Sasuke grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him to his mouth for a hard kiss, tongue diving in between the other's lips as his arms wound around his shoulders and brought him close.

The blonde, surprised, didn't respond for a moment; then he kissed his lover back for all he was worth, hands reaching up and gripping the black hair as their lips moved hotly together.

Sasuke slipped his hands down to grip Naruto's waist and pulled his lover forward so that he was straddling him. The blonde smirked into his mouth and bit at his lips, grinding his hips down against Sasuke's lower body and smiling at the other's poorly disguised gasp.

"It's been too long, teme," he murmured, kissing down the other's jaw and sucking at his neck.

Sasuke growled, grabbed the other by the waist, and flipped him over.

And unfortunately, in the process, Naruto slammed his head against the headboard.

"Ow, fuck!" the blonde cried out, upper body instinctively shooting upwards; his forehead crashed into Sasuke's and the other flew backwards, hands flying up over his face as pain erupted in his black eye.

"Shit," the dark-haired man cursed, blinking a few times as his eye watered. He peered through his fingers at his lover and saw that he was curled on his side, hands on his head and shivering in pain. "You alright, Naruto?" he asked, scooting closer to him.

"I-I'm gonna be sick," the blonde said, before stumbling to his feet and attempting to make it to the bathroom; his knees almost immediately buckled underneath him and Sasuke caught him, then quickly carried him into the bathroom. Naruto was sick for several long minutes, dry-heaving and convulsing until his stomach finally settled; then he slumped against the wall, too exhausted to move.

"Sorry," the blonde murmured tiredly.

"For what?" Sasuke asked, winding an arm around his back and helping him to sit up.

Naruto smiled ruefully. "This probably isn't what you had in mind when you kissed me."

"No, dobe, it wasn't," Sasuke agreed, smirking a little. "But come on, let's just get you back to bed."

"'kay," the blonde mumbled. Sasuke helped him to his feet then led him to the sink so that he could brush his teeth. Naruto did so sluggishly, and then leaned against Sasuke and allowed him to support his weight as they headed back to the bedroom. Once there, they climbed in together and Sasuke dutifully laid with him until he heard the blonde's breath even out in sleep. Then he carefully, quietly got to his feet and walked to his office, hand fishing in his pocket all the while. Finally, his fingers found the crumpled piece of paper, and he pulled it out before shutting the door behind him.

Sasuke opened the letter and read for the fifth time that afternoon:

_He'll be ours again soon. New plans are at work._

_-O_

Evidence. Not hard, perfect evidence– but physical _proof _nonetheless.

He was going to put Orochimaru in jail, no matter what it took.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Where's the blonde kid?" asked a gruff-looking police officer as Sasuke entered the investigation room.

"Naruto has a minor concussion," Sasuke answered tersely. "He's resting."

"But we need both of your statements," the man said exasperatedly, obviously frustrated.

"Well, sorry," Sasuke retorted. "Right now, you've got me. Take it or leave it."

The policeman sighed. "Alright, fine, it'll do. I'm Detective Warren," he reached out to shake Sasuke's hand, "And I'll be helping you get your statement together today."

Sasuke nodded respectfully. "Sasuke Uchiha," he responded.

The other man gestured for Sasuke to take a seat. "Let's get started, shall we?"

Sasuke obediently sat and waited for the detective to do the same.

"Alright, Mr. Uchiha," Detective Warren began, pulling out a few papers from the briefcase set on the table. "I know you and Naruto Uzumaki already gave statements last night, but I'd like to briefly go over yours before we go on to the other events of that night, if that's okay."

"That's fine," Sasuke replied.

"Good. Now why don't you start by telling me why you and Mr. Uzumaki were at Konoha Hospital yesterday night?"

"We were visiting a friend," Sasuke answered. "He was in critical condition."

"Name?"

"Kiba Inuzuka."

"Alright," the detective mumbled, checking that over on the paper in front of him. "And at what point did you two go outside?"

Sasuke thought back to the night before, heard Naruto's voice as he told him how many hours he'd been at the hospital. "I'd say... about 9 or 9:30."

"Why did you leave?"

"They told us that Kiba wouldn't be awake until the next day," Sasuke explained. "I had work, and Naruto was obviously exhausted– so I convinced him that we should go home and come back then."

"Okay, now I need you to tell me what happened after you two left the hospital in as much detail as you can remember," the detective instructed.

Sasuke nodded compliantly. "Well, we were walking down the sidewalk on our way to the car when I heard voices. Right before we passed by the alleyway where they were coming from, I heard one of them say Naruto's name. I yanked Naruto towards me and we hid against the wall so that they wouldn't hear us and run. I looked around the corner to get a look at them but it was too dark to make out any of their features."

"Do you know how many were there?"

"Three, including Dr. Tolman," Sasuke answered.

"And could you hear what they were saying?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied, before quickly, concisely relating the conversation he and Naruto had heard before Dr. Tolman had been murdered. "And after that, we heard a single gun shot. When we went down the alleyway, we saw Dr. Tolman's dead body," he finished.

The detective nodded, looked up from his papers and said, "Well, everything checks out with your previous statement." He rubbed his chin, then, silently musing. "You know, this certainly changes things," he said, gesturing to Sasuke's statement.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Does it?"

The man leaned forward, propped his elbows on the table. "Well, by all indications, this looked like a clear cut suicide," he explained. "The gun was in his hand when we arrived at the scene. The weapon was tested for fingerprints and there were none save for those belonging to Allen Tolman. It all fits."

"But?" Sasuke prompted.

"Like I said, your testimony makes things a little more complicated," the man replied, sitting back in his chair and lacing his fingers in front of him.

Sasuke grunted, and gestured for him to continue.

"Well, you have no evidence supporting your statement," Detective Warren began. "But I think you could go somewhere with it; eyewitness statements are typically well favored in the court."

Sasuke nodded, then said slowly, "You know, the police could still get evidence. We have one of the men who did it in custody."

The detective's eyebrows scrunched. "The man we arrested last night at the hospital? He was involved with the incident with Dr. Tolman as well as the one with Naruto?"

Sasuke sighed, feeling like the answer was incredibly obvious. "What do you think?" he asked snappishly. "Two men discuss a plan to kidnap Naruto by using a professional doctor as bait. When the latter disagrees, they kill him, and then a mysterious man dresses up in medical clothes and assaults Naruto in the hospital. Now _you_ tell _me_ if those two incidents could be connected."

The other man's eyes narrowed. "Don't get smart," he growled.

"I'm not," Sasuke said calmly. "I'm just making a point. The answer is obvious. Hopefully the court will see it that way as well."

Detective Warren grunted and stiffly continued, "Well. Alright, then. Let's continue and add to your statement the assault of Mr. Uzumaki." His voice lowered in annoyance as he muttered, "Your experience of it, anyway."

"He'll be here as soon as he's able," Sasuke said through gritted teeth.

"Fine, let's just get on with it," the other man said stiffly. "What happened when you two left the police station last night?"

"We walked back to the hospital, because our car was still there," Sasuke replied. "Naruto wanted to go in to see if Kiba had woken up during the time we'd been at the station. I told him I'd wait for him in the car and he went inside."

"Could you see him through a window or anything once he was inside?"

"No," Sasuke denied.

"Okay, so what next?" the other prompted.

"I waited for about ten minutes, and then I got this feeling that something wasn't right," Sasuke said.

"Could you describe that?" the other man asked, pen poised above the papers in front of him.

"Well, I just reasoned that it would've taken only a minute or two for Naruto to go in and find out that he hadn't woken up yet," Sasuke explained with a shrug.

"You didn't think there was a chance that Mr. Inuzuka would be awake?"

"No," the dark-haired man repl. "From what the doctor said about his injuries and the surgery that he'd gone through, I knew he wouldn't wake up for at least another twenty-four hours."

"Then why did you let Mr. Uzumaki go in?" the other man asked, looking vaguely confused.

Sasuke shrugged. "He's stubborn. He wouldn't have listened to me– he had to see it for himself."

"Hm. Okay," the detective said. "So when he didn't come back in the amount of time that you anticipated, what did you do?"

"I headed into the hospital and started to call out for him," Sasuke continued. "After a few minutes, who I thought was a doctor approached me and told me that I wasn't allowed to be there after hours. I let him know that I was looking for a friend, then I described Naruto's physical appearance, and he said that he hadn't seen him. Right then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something silver– so I glanced over and there was Naruto peeking out from behind the wall, his mouth duct-taped shut."

Detective Warren nodded as he wrote all of the information down. After a minute he looked up and gestured for Sasuke to continue.

"Well, Zetsu realized that I'd caught sight of Naruto, and he was furious– he whipped out a gun and turned it on him."

"He pointed it at Naruto?" the detective reiterated.

"Yes. And he said that he was going to kill him," Sasuke recalled, anger flooding through his veins at the memory.

"Then what?"

"He shot at Naruto," Sasuke said lowly. "I grabbed his arm and threw off the aim, then punched him in the stomach."

"Was he still shooting at you or provoking you in any way?"

"Yes. He was shooting– but since I had his wrist held up above him, all of the bullets went into the ceiling."

"Well, good. That means you can argue self-defense if you punching him comes up as an issue in court," Detective Warren mused absently. "Anyway, continue."

"Naruto ran out from behind the wall at that point, and I yelled at him to get back," he related. "Then I finally managed to wrestle the gun out of Zetsu's grip, only to realize that... I'd let him free in the process." Some self-resentment crept into his voice at the admission. He continued quietly, "He immediately lunged for Naruto... he tackled him to the ground, grabbed him by the neck, and started slamming his head into the floor."

"That's when the security showed up, correct?"

"Yes," Sasuke responded. "They helped me pull Zetsu off Naruto, then cuffed him and led him away."

"Did you get Mr. Uzumaki checked out afterwards?" the detective asked, hoping for proof of a medical examination.

"Yes. I've got a report right here." He pulled out a paper from his pocket and handed it over to the other man.

"Good, good," he muttered, briefly looking it over. "Well, that's all I need from you, then, Mr. Uchiha."

"Wait, there's something else," Sasuke said quickly.

The other man rose an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"I think the two men involved in the incident last night were also involved in Naruto's kidnapping last year."

"Ah, yes, I've researched that case," Detective Warren mused. "And what makes you think the these events are connected?"

"Well, considering the fact that these men were planning to kidnap Naruto from the hospital, I think it's quite likely that there's a correlation," Sasuke said dryly.

"Or, perhaps, your friend just has a lot of enemies."

Sasuke felt anger flare within him. "He didn't ask for any of this," he growled protectively.

The detective put his hands up in innocence. "I didn't say he did. I just meant that you can't simply say 'group A tried to kidnap Naruto, therefore, anyone who tries to kidnap Naruto belongs to group A.' You see what I'm getting at?"

Sasuke exhaled agitatedly. "Yes, of course I realize that. But Naruto could easily voice recognize both of them. Isn't that evidence enough?"

"The court is very iffy with voice recognition as a method of criminal identification," the other man said regretfully. "I'm afraid that, no, that wouldn't be enough evidence."

"Okay, fine, I don't have evidence on either of those two men. But I do have evidence on a different one."

"Do you?"

Sasuke pulled out the crumpled note that he'd found in Kabuto's office and handed it to the detective.

The man read over it, then looked up, expression perplexed. "I don't get it. Who's this 'O' character?"

"Orochimaru," Sasuke said without hesitation.

The detective's eyes widened. "Now that's a serious accusation, Mr. Uchiha. He's a very well-known man here in Konoha."

Sasuke grit his teeth. "He could be the most famous person in the world and it still wouldn't matter to me– he did what he did, and he deserves to be in jail."

"This isn't proof," the detective said, gesturing to the wrinkled paper. "There's no way to prove that 'O' means Orochimaru. There _are _other people who have names that start with o's."

Sasuke leant forward. "Alright, if that's not good enough, then listen to this: a few nights ago, Orochimaru cornered Naruto, threatened him and nearly killed him."

"_What? _Why didn't you come to the police?" the other man asked angrily, getting to his feet.

"Because...because Naruto wanted me to wait," Sasuke said quietly, looking down at his hands, feeling ashamed with himself for having listened to his lover's ridiculous demands. He realized now that he should've immediately gone to the police, regardless of Naruto's desires.

"Were you there? Did you witness this alleged assault?" the detective demanded.

Sasuke shook his head. "No. Kiba was the one who found him– that's how the two of them met."

"Well then, I can't go on without him and Naruto here," Detective Warren said resolutely. He ran a frustrated hand over his face and suddenly exploded, "Goddamnit, you _all _should have come here immediately after this first incident happened– perhaps if you had, none of this would have happened! I mean, this could practically be classified as withholding information from the police!"

Sasuke nodded, knowing the man was right; self contempt rose up within him at the realization of how illogically he'd behaved– he had to be firmer when it came to Naruto. When had he lost his ability to indifferently write off every ridiculous idea that the stupid idiot came up with?

_When you promised him that you'd change, _a little voice in his head reminded him.

He scowled and firmly resolved that that _wasn't _going to continue.

"I apologize, sir," he said quietly. "We should have come here days ago."

"You're damn right you should have," the man retorted. "Who knows what we could have done with that information. We could have potentially saved the life of that doctor."

Sasuke swallowed thickly, nostrils flaring in self-directed anger. "I know," he said through gritted teeth. "I realize that."

"Alright, well, in order to prevent another consequence to this unfortunate situation, we'll need you all here as soon as possible," Detective Warren said in a clipped tone.

"Kiba will be bedridden for the next week or two at least due to surgery," Sasuke replied stiffly. "But I will tell Naruto to come here tomorrow morning."

"He can't come tonight?"

"No," Sasuke said firmly. "He needs to rest for at least twenty four hours. I promise he'll be here first thing tomorrow."

The other man's jaw worked and he finally said, "Fine. I'll see him then. You're free to leave."

Sasuke nodded stiffly and headed out of the police station, face set in an expression completely devoid of emotion.

What had he let himself become?

He drove home mindlessly, and by the time he walked into his apartment, it was late at night and anger was still thrumming in his veins. He headed for the bedroom and saw his lover sitting up in bed and blearily rubbing his eyes.

"Hey," the blonde said softly, lips lifting in a lopsided grin.

Sasuke didn't respond, merely walked to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and stripped down to his boxers, then walked back and turned off the lights before moving towards the bed.

"Um, Sasuke," came the familiar, frightened tenor of his lover just before he laid down. "I know I said last night that I wouldn't ask you to do this again, but can we–

"No," Sasuke barked, climbing into bed and turning on his side, away from his lover.

"Wha–Sasuke," Naruto stuttered, bewildered. "What's–

"I have to get up early tomorrow so please let me go to sleep," Sasuke interrupted sharply.

Naruto blinked, stung by the other's attitude. "Sasuke," he said quietly, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

The dark-haired man flinched away from him and growled, "I _said_, I have to sleep."

Naruto bit his lip and pulled his arm back, folding it over his chest and curling into himself, wishing he could curl around his lover instead. The darkness closed in around him and he felt familiar fear spread through his veins like a drug, numbing his limbs and making them tremble as vicious images raced through his mind. He dug his fingers into his pillow until his knuckles turned white.

Sasuke felt his lover's shaking begin to rattle the bed, and he did not turn around or make any move to comfort him. He was not going to give in to Naruto's ridiculous behaviors anymore.

He would not let himself spiral downwards any further.

**AN:** PLEASE, do not be too mad at me or Sasuke! Understand that this is his character! He's very hard on himself and expects perfection at all times-- to realize that he's made a big mistake is a huge dissappointment to him, and he's directing his anger at the person who he thinks caused him to do it: Naruto. To me, this is logical for his character, and that is why I am writing it this way. I'm sorry if some of you have a problem with it, but please keep on reading-- Sasuke and Naruto will get through this little crisis, as they always do, and things will get better.

Now, to certain people who reviewed, I just want to say that yes, this IS an angsty story, and I realize that it can get to be a bit much, but you've got to understand that Naruto and Sasuke have a very strange r/l and I refuse to pretend it's some fairytale fantasy. I am writing them IN CHARACTER-- as in there's going to be no excessive romance, no swooning or serenading or any of that kind of thing because those are things that they would NEVER do. They have their own kind of affection that's very different from the usual fluff of other couples. I'm sorry if I've neglected that aspect of their r/l in the past couple of chapters, and I promise that I will work on including more of that. But if you're looking for the really mushy fluffy stuff, this is NOT the story for you!

Okay, I'm done ranting. To those of you who are enjoying the story, I'm glad. To those of you who aren't, no one's forcing you to read it!

Thanks so much for the support I have gotten and I hope you continue to read and review. I appreciate the honest criticism that I've gotten and I will try and improve.

Lots of love.

-CSTSS


	21. Reconnecting

**AN:** Alright, I just had to write this one and get it out as fast as possible, because people were getting really upset with me! Eep I know Sasuke was a serious asshole last chapter, but please try and understand his crazy mind! I hope that this chappy will help you see his point of view better, as well as make you all very happy-- THERE IS FLUFF. There is very little angst. There is a lime! SO. I hope that I will not get any bad reviews this time.. not that I don't like constructive criticism, but this is me first fanfic and I guess I'm still a little sensitive when it comes to reviews! So be gentle, people, sheesh. haha. Anyway, hope you like this chapter. I'm pretty happy with it. Let me know!

**Warnings:** Cursing, vague lime

**Pairings: **Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Neji/Kiba

**Disclaimer:** Characters not mine.

------------------

"Naruto, wake up," Sasuke said harshly, shaking the other man's shoulder.

Naruto awoke from his nightmare with a startled yelp, his breath coming fast and hard as his mind tried to cope with the sudden change. "Wha–Sasuke–

"Get up," the dark-haired man muttered, pulling off the blankets from the blonde. "You've got to go to the police station."

"What? N-now?" Naruto stuttered, blinking owlishly and shivering at the sudden loss of heat.

"Yes," Sasuke reiterated. "They need your statement immediately. Ask for Detective Warren."

"O...kay," Naruto said slowly, sitting up and blearily rubbing his eyes. He watched Sasuke head for the door and called out, "Gonna give me a goodbye kiss, teme?"

Sasuke stopped in his tracks, lips thinning as conflicting thoughts and emotions ravaged inside his head.

_Don't start this, Uchiha, you're just going to lose him._

_You're doing the right thing. You need to distance yourself from him, or you'll only end up making more glaring mistakes._

_Sasuke Uchiha does _not _make mistakes._

He rubbed a tired hand over his face and muttered, "Sorry, Naruto. I'm already late. I'll see you tonight."

Naruto watched him leave, eyebrows furrowed in mild confusion. What had he done now to make the other behave so strangely?

He sighed and shrugged to himself, figuring that it would probably blow over in a few days.

HURTCOPEHEAL

One week later, and Naruto was ready to explode. Sasuke had not kissed him– hadn't even _touched _him– in seven days.

He was bewildered, hurt, and angry– and the worst thing was, he still had no idea what was wrong. He'd tried to talk to the other man about it, but all he'd gotten were a few grumbled responses and a scowl.

In short, Naruto was at a complete loss. He'd never felt so...distant from his lover. Sure, they'd had plenty of problems in the past, but they'd always worked them out within a day or two. A week without any communication was making Naruto anxious and... a little scared. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost the other man, especially without even knowing how or why.

He rubbed a hand through his hair and pulled at the blonde strands, wishing Sasuke was right there in front of him so that he could somehow make things better between them.

If he was completely honest with himself, though, things hadn't been good with their relationship for some time. Sure, they still loved each other, but they'd had so many obstacles come their way that it seemed as if they'd lost sight of that.

Well, Naruto would simply have to make his lover see it again. Hell, he'd spent years trying to get the man to realize his feelings– he could certainly spend some time getting him to reconnect with them.

He got up and pulled on his jacket, then headed into the brisk winter air towards Iruka's house. The other had asked him over for lunch, and he was excited about it– it had been a long time since he'd gotten to hang out with his former teacher under normal circumstances.

On his way, he texted Sasuke the message,

_Meet me on the hilltop at 5._

He was going to remind his lover of what they had together. Even if it wasn't perfect, even if sometimes it was more painful than anything else, Naruto would fight for it with all he had– because Sasuke was his world_._ He'd never loved anyone like he loved him, and he was pretty confident that Sasuke felt the same way– it would just take a raging bull to get him to admit it.

Good thing Naruto was as bull-headed as they come.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Yo, brat," Kakashi greeted, allowing the blonde inside. "Iruka's in the kitchen."

"Cool," Naruto replied, heading for the said room.

"Hey, Naruto," Iruka said warmly, smiling at him as he ladled ramen into two bowls set on the counter.

Naruto smiled, eyeing the food hungrily. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Everything's pretty much back to normal," Iruka replied_, _handing him his lunch. "How about you? You're looking better."

"I'm fine. Recovering from that minor concussion, but I barely feel it anymore," Naruto said breezily, sitting down at the table with the other man and beginning to eat.

"Hey, I'm gonna head out," Kakashi said as he appeared in the doorway.

"Where are you going?" Iruka asked curiously_._

"Tsunade wants to see me," the other man replied with a shrug. "I'll be back later."

"Gonna give me a goodbye kiss?" Iruka asked playfully, and Naruto stiffened.

Kakashi smirked. "Of course." He walked over to him and tilted his lover's chin back before pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

"Bye," he murmured.

"See you," Iruka replied lowly, watching the other man leave before turning back to Naruto, cheeks stained a little in a blush. Then he noticed the oddly pensive look on the other's face. "Are you alright, Naruto?" he asked concernedly. "You went pale."

"Yeah, I'm just... dealing with some stuff," the blonde said with a half-hearted smile. "It's nothing."

"Sasuke-related stuff?" Iruka asked knowingly, fork poised in front of his mouth as he gazed at the other man.

"What else?" Naruto joked, chuckling a little. He sobered and continued quietly, "Um, yeah. We're having some issues."

"Want to talk about it?" Iruka offered kindly.

Naruto took a breath and exhaled tiredly. "To be honest, there's not much to say. I don't really know what's going on. He's just...acting really weird."

"Sasuke always acts weird," Iruka deadpanned.

"No, I mean, more than usual," Naruto said ruefully. "He's barely looked at me this past week. I don't know what the problem is."

"Have you tried asking him?"

"Well, yeah, but it's Sasuke," the blonde reminded. "He's not exactly the most open person in the world about his issues."

"Hm. Maybe he's stressed about work?" Iruka suggested.

"Well, he did almost get fired last week," Naruto said thoughtfully, slurping ramen through his teeth. He swallowed and continued, "But that blew over. Everything's fine now."

"What about all that's happened with Orochimaru and the Akatsuki lately?" Iruka asked, remembering all of the information Naruto had told him a few days before over the phone.

Naruto squinted a little in thought. "Well, I guess that could have something to do with it. But if that were the case, why would he be angry at _me_?"

"Maybe he's not," Iruka said with a shrug. "Maybe he's just taking it out on you."

The blonde bit his lip. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Think about it, Naruto. Sasuke's a control freak," Iruka pointed out. "Exactly how much control has he had these past few weeks?"

"Not a lot," Naruto hedged.

"Well there you go," Iruka said, taking the last bite of his ramen.

"Makes sense, I guess," the blonde said, getting up to put his empty bowl in the sink. "But how do I fix that?"

Iruka smiled sadly. "You can't, Naruto. These people– this Akatsuki gang– _no one_ has control over their actions. The police have been trying to stop them for years."

Naruto sat back down and frowned at the other man. "So my relationship with Sasuke is gonna suck until they finally catch them?"

"It doesn't have to," Iruka said with a shrug. "You just have to make him realize that none of this is either of your faults. That you couldn't have stopped this from happening, and neither could he."

"You think he blames himself for what they've done to our lives?" Naruto asked softly.

"Yeah, I do," Iruka said honestly. "Sasuke's very hard on himself. He expects perfection– no mistakes, no flaws. He vowed to protect you, and in his mind, he's failed."

"Well, I'll make him see what a stubborn idiot he's being," Naruto said determinedly.

"I have no doubt," Iruka replied with a smile. "If anyone can make him see reason, it's you."

Naruto blushed a little. "Yeah, I hope so."

Iruka got up and placed his bowl in the sink, turning on the faucet to rinse it and Naruto's before putting them both in the dishwasher. Then he turned back to the blonde and asked, "So, do you want to go train a bit?"

"Sure," Narutosaid eagerly, briefly glancing down at his watch. "I can stayfor a couple more hours."

"Planning on meeting up with a certain Uchiha?" Iruka asked, a smile playing on his lips.

Naruto grinned. "Yup."

He could only pray his plan would work.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Yo, Neji," Shikamaru greeted from his spot beside Temari on one side of Kiba's bed.

"Hey," Neji muttered, a bit surprised at seeing them. He took a seat across from him and asked, "How's Kiba? Has he waken up today?"

"Not since we've been here," Temari said, laying her head tiredly on Shikamaru's shoulder.

"Been a while?" Neji asked, eyes not straying from Kiba's oddly frail form.

"Few hours," Shikamaru said with a shrug.

Neji grunted and the three were silent for a moment.

"Are the rumors true?" Temari asked, peering at Neji. "His father did this to him?"

"You'd know the answer to that if you actually talked to him every once in a while," Neji muttered, irritated at this false show of affection from the two of them.

"Hey, he's our friend too, jerk!" the blonde woman said angrily.

"Calm down," Shikamaru said, touching her arm in warning.

"Well, you certainly don't act like it," Neji said calmly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked hotly. "We're here, aren't we?"

"Yes, because visiting someone equates to friendship," Neji replied sarcastically.

"Hey, hey, someone fighting about me?" Kiba asked blearily as his eyes slowly blinked open.

"Kiba," Neji greeted, immediately turning away from Temari to face him. "How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic," Kiba said, rolling his eyes. He glanced over to Shikamaru and Temari, and muttered, "Uh, hey, guys. Nice of you to come."

Shikamaru nodded. "No problem."

"Of course we came," Temari spoke up resentfully.

Neji's lips thinned in irritation across from her.

"When are you getting out of this place?" Shikamaru asked before either of them could start another argument.

"Who knows," Kiba sighed. "They say I'm healing well, but I still feel like shit. I haven't even sat up yet."

"See, there's this thing called patience..." Neji began.

"Oh, shut up," Kiba said sulkily. "You try lying down for nearly two weeks. It's a pain in the–

"I see you're up and running, Mr. Inuzuka," came his nurse's voice as she bustled into the room. "Which is good, since today we're moving you out of the critical care unit and into a regular room."

"And how is this process going to work?" Kiba asked sweetly. "Considering the fact that I can't move my big toe without feeling pain?"

"Oh you big baby," Temari sighed.

"Shut up, it hurts!" Kiba cried indignantly, glaring at her.

"I'm sure it does," the nurse said placatingly. "We've been gradually decreasing the amount of pain medication over the past few days."

"What? Why?" Neji demanded, not liking this new development.

"Well, it came to our attention that alcoholism is a genetic trait in your family," she said calmly. "This kind of pain medication is very addictive. We don't want to try our luck with it."

Kiba gritted his teeth, jaw working. "I'd never become like him," he said lowly.

"I'm not saying you would," she replied gently. "Just that it's a possibility, should the right circumstances arise."

Kiba's nostrils flared and he didn't respond.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to imply anything," she said sincerely. "I'm just doing my job, sir."

"I know," he practically growled.

"Well, alright, then. We'll be coming in with a stretcher shortly." She turned to the others in the room. "It'd be best for you all to clear out for a little while– until we move him."

"Okay," Temari responded, getting up and stretching before offering a hand to Shikamaru. "Let's go."

"See ya, Kiba," Shikamaru said with a lazy wave.

"Bye," Kiba replied, watching the two leave before turning to Neji. "That means you too," he said pointedly.

Neji smirked. "Eager to get rid of me?"

"Yes," Kiba said honestly. "I'd rather not have you see me have to be lifted into a stretcher because I can barely move on my own."

"Hey, that's not your fault," Neji pointed out.

"It doesn't matter, it's still embarrassing," the other man mumbled stubbornly.

Neji sighed. "Well, alright. I guess I'll see you later, then."

"Bye," Kiba said, voice warm.

Neji nodded and left; Kiba's eyes followed him all the way out.

"You ready?" the nurse asked from his side.

Kiba jumped, startled; he hadn't realized she was still in the room. "Um, yeah. Do whatever you need to do."

She nodded and said, "Alright. I'll be right back with a stretcher and some help."

"Kay," Kiba replied, lying back down to wait. A minute later the door opened again and two large men entered pushing a stretcher.

"Hello, Mr. Inuzuka," one greeted as he pulled the stretcher to a stop beside Kiba's bed.

"It's Kiba," the brunette corrected..

"Alright, Kiba, then," he amended. "We're going to need you to lie very still while we're doing this. Do not try and help in any way. Dr. Shore and I will do all the work, okay?"

Kiba nodded tiredly. "Sure. Whatever."

"Now this might be a little painful," the other doctor warned, coming around on one side of him while his colleague took his spot on the other. "We'll try our best not to jostle you too badly, but be prepared, just in case."

"I'll be fine," Kiba muttered, brushing it off. "Just do what you have to do."

"Alright," he replied. "Here we go."

The two men slipped their arms underneath Kiba's body, one pair under his back and the other under his legs. Kiba braced himself, and then he was being lifted, and he bit his lip against the vicious onslaught of pain. Sweat broke out on his brow and his breathing quickened as he fought the urge to cry out.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, he felt himself being lowered down onto the stretcher. He tried to relax into it, but the pain was so intense– his limbs shook and spasmed with it; his teeth chattered; he felt like knives were sinking into his stomach and twisting around.

"Try and calm down, Kiba," the doctor kindly instructed. "The pain is shocking your system. You just need to breathe. It'll pass."

"N-no, I think something's wrong," Kiba choked out, digging his fingers into the sheets.

"We'll take a look when we get there," Dr. Shore soothed. "Just take it easy."

Kiba gulped in air and his lips trembled; he looked up at the doctor and whispered, "Could you get Neji Hyuuga from the waiting room?"

"As soon as we get you settled," Dr. Shore replied reassuringly. They rounded a corner and walked down a little bit farther, and then stopped in front of one of the doors, stretcher poised to enter. They briefly left his side to open it, then slowly pushed Kiba in the room until he was right next to the hospital bed.

"Alright, we're going to have to move you again," one of the doctors said regretfully.

"Fuck," Kiba said emphatically, clenching his eyes shut. He swallowed thickly and whispered, "Fine. Go ahead."

They tucked their arms underneath his body and lifted him; this time Kiba could not bite back a cry of pain as his stomach exploded in agony.

The two doctors quickly, carefully laid him down, then one of them left while the other began to bustle around about Kiba, replacing his IV and concernedly checking over his vitals. "Everything looks okay," he said after a few moments. "Like I said, this is just upsetting your body's balance. You've been on very strong pain medication for the past week or so, and since we've decreased the amount present in your bloodstream, the sudden pain is probably a bit too overwhelming."

"Ya think?" Kiba gasped, tearing his lips to shreds as his teeth gnashed at them.

"Kiba?" Neji's voice drifted from the doorway.

"Neji," Kiba breathed, following him with his eyes as he quickly approached the bed.

Neji sat down beside him and gave him a reassuring look before glaring up at the doctor. "Can't you see that he's in pain? He needs medication!"

"It's not a good idea," the doctor said with a frown. "Besides, it'll pass in a few minutes."

Neji's jaw worked; he glanced back to Kiba, saw his gnawed, shaking lips and his shuddering chest, and wanted to punch this idiot man in front of him. "Look," he growled. "I assure you, this hospital will not be penalized should Kiba become addicted to pain medication."

"How dare you insinuate that that's what I'm worried about," Dr. Shore said, anger seeping into his tone. "I'm only thinking about his health. He needs to start weaning off of the medication not only because of its addictive properties, but because it's interfering with his body's natural processes. I know what I'm doing, Mr. Hyuuga. I'd appreciate it if you'd let me do my job."

Neji swallowed, feeling suitably chagrined. "I apologize, sir. I didn't mean to imply such a thing."

"Yes you did," the other man said calmly. "But it's alright. I understand that you just want to help your friend. Please don't fret– he'll be fine. I've checked him over, and nothing was jostled in the move. He'll just be in a lot of pain for the next few minutes. The discomfort will pass."

With that, he walked out of the room, leaving Neji alone with his trembling friend. He turned to face the prone brunette, whose expression was still twisted in a grimace. "Can I do anything?" he asked softly.

Kiba opened the fingers of the hand closest to Neji, and the other took the cue, lacing their hands together and squeezing gently.

"Just sit with me," Kiba murmured, trying to slow his chattering teeth.

"Alright," Neji replied, running his thumb over the other's knuckles.

They were silent after that; Kiba closing his eyes as the pain slowly began to fade, Neji sitting beside him, offering steady support. After a few minutes, Kiba drifted into sleep, still clutching Neji's hand.

Neji didn't let go for the rest of the night.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Naruto?" Sasuke called as he climbed up the last few feet of the hill, looking around for his lover.

"Hey," the blonde said softly, appearing from the left of him. He was wearing a thin white shirt; Sasuke could see his tanned skin rippling underneath. He swallowed and quickly looked up to the blue eyes, seeing the blazing determination there and raising his eyebrow in question. "What'd you call me here for, dobe?"

Naruto approached him, expression set in firm resolve. "I wanted to do this," he said lowly, before wrapping his arms around the other man's neck and kissing him hard.

Sasuke was unresponsive for a long, tense moment, and then he pushed the other man away, jaw clenched.

Naruto leaned in again, unrelenting, and pressed his lips once again to his lover's. "Tell me you don't want me," he whispered fiercely against the other's mouth. "Tell me you want me to leave, and I will."

Sasuke's nostrils flared; the hands on the blonde's hips tightened almost painfully as conflicting emotions fought inside of him.

Naruto opened his eyes, staring into the unending black in front of him, sensing the internal battle waging within. "Sasuke, I love you," he whispered intensely. "More than anything. I don't know what's going on with you, but I do know that I won't give you up. Not now, not ever."

Sasuke's eyes widened just a fraction, and then Naruto had about two seconds to prepare before his lover tackled him down to the ground and began ripping at his clothes, fingers moving desperately over his skin and lips attacking his mouth, his neck, his chest... Naruto was lost; he let himself be whisked away by the sensations and gave himself fully to the other man. He wrapped his arms around the other's neck and held on tight as Sasuke took him; it was bruising and rough– but he'd never felt more close to the other man. It was perfect.

Afterwards they lay molded together from head to toe under the darkening sky, Naruto pressed against Sasuke's chest, sweating and still breathing hard.

"I missed you," he said softly, kissing the expanse of white skin in front of him.

Sasuke grunted and lay still, unresponsive.

Naruto nosed at his chest in irritation. "You can't keep going hot and cold with me, Sasuke– it's confusing as hell."

Sasuke's lips thinned; he gripped the grass beneath his fist and ripped at it.

Naruto put a hand on his lover's clenched fingers and rubbed them gently. "Hey," he murmured. "Please talk to me. I want to help you."

"You can't," Sasuke said through gritted teeth. "You only make it worse."

"Make what worse?" Naruto asked, glad that he was getting any response at all.

"I can't... I don't," the dark-haired man sighed and stopped, completely at a loss. "I don't know how to explain it, Naruto."

Naruto was surprised at the honest show of vulnerability. "Can you try?" he asked gently.

Sasuke scowled and looked up at the sky, taking in a deep breath before slowly exhaling. "You...you weaken me, Naruto," he said quietly.

"What does that mean?" the blonde asked, eyebrows scrunching in confusion.

"It means I've changed since I've been with you," Sasuke said, sounding exasperated. He sat up, pushing Naruto away from him, and rubbed a hand over his face in frustration.

Naruto sat up as well, gazing at the other man with concern in his eyes. "I don't understand," he said softly. "What's so different about you? You seem the same to me."

"Well I'm not," Sasuke snapped, not looking at him.

Naruto peered at him, utterly perplexed. "What is it, Sasuke? What's got you so angry?"

"I just can't stand how weak I've become!" Sasuke burst out. "It's not anything _deeper _than that, Naruto, I'm just disappointed with my behavior."

"You're not weak, Sasuke," Naruto said fervently. "You're one of the strongest people I know– and you're usually the first person to declare that! So where is this all coming from?"

"From the realization that I can't say no to you!"

They were silent after that, Sasuke breathing hard and avoiding eye contact with his lover at all costs, Naruto staring at him with a bewildered expression on his face.

"W-what?" he asked slowly. "That's it? That's the problem?"

Sasuke turned to face him, glaring heatedly. "We could've saved a man's life, had I listened to my instincts instead of appeasing you. That's a big problem, Naruto."

Naruto flinched, stung. "I thought you said that Dr. Tolman's death wasn't anyone's fault but his own– that he was playing with fire and the Akatsuki would've killed him anyway."

"And they probably would have," Sasuke calmly replied. "But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't have done all we could to keep him alive. If I had gone to the police the night Orochimaru assaulted you instead of giving in to your wishes, perhaps all of this wouldn't have happened."

"So it's my fault, then?" Naruto asked bitterly, turning away from him and wrapping his arms around his knees. "Thanks, Sasuke, as if I don't blame myself enough."

"Naruto, I didn't say that," Sasuke sighed. He reached out and put his hand on the other's shoulder before quietly continuing, "Look, _I _shouldn't have listened to you– you were terrified; you'd been threatened and assaulted– you were in no condition to be making decisions for yourself. And I was so caught up in... in making sure you were alright, that I didn't do what I should have done in the first place: gone to the police and gotten Orochimaru arrested. It was my mistake, not yours, and it cost a man his life and could of cost you yours."

Naruto looked up and stared out at the city, sighing a little. "It wasn't your fault either, Sasuke," he said quietly. "You're too hard on yourself. You can't expect to prevent every disaster from happening. Some things are just out of your control– like the Akatsuki. Orochimaru is only one of many, Sasuke. Even if you _had_ gotten him arrested that night, whose to say that those other two wouldn't have organized the plan on their own? It wouldn't have made a difference, I'm telling you."

Sasuke's lips thinned. "I refuse to believe that."

Naruto turned to look at him, eyes bright and intense. "Why do you want to live your life blaming yourself for everything, Sasuke? Why do you keep beating yourself up for things that you couldn't have prevented? You're not perfect! And you never will be. You're _going_ to make mistakes. And I...I don't want to be pushed away every time you do." His voice dropped a little into a whisper. "It hurts, Sasuke. It hurts a lot."

Sasuke exhaled, glancing over at his lover's helpless, defeated expression. "Look," he said softly, moving his hand up to trace the other's cheek, fingers moving over the contours of his jaw, his lips. "I just... I just want to protect you, Naruto. How can I do that if I can't make the most logical choices possible when it comes to you?"

"Sasuke," Naruto murmured, lifting his hand to put it on top of his lover's. "I appreciate that, I do. But I don't expect you to be my big protector. I expect you to be Sasuke– the man I love. And that's it."

Sasuke kissed him, then, a slow and tender press of lips, then rested his forehead against the other man's, not looking away from the bright blue eyes. "Okay," he said lowly. "I can do that."

Naruto smiled a little and fell forward into his chest, breathing in the smell of his lover as strong arms wrapped around him and brought him closer. "Good," he whispered into Sasuke's neck, gently kissing the soft skin. "I love you."

"I...love you too," Sasuke replied, and it was stiff and awkward. Naruto thought it sounded like perfection.


	22. The Trial Part 1

**AN:** Whew, this is one of the longest ones yet! I'm pretty happy with it; we're finally getting down to the last few chapters, I think.. unless you guys want me to continue with this universe and bring a different storyline into it because the Akatsuki one will be ending within the next 2-3 chappies. Anyway, let me know! Hope you like it!

**Warnings:** Nothing really, for this chappy.. a few curse words

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Neji/Kiba

**Disclaimer:** Not mine!

-------------------

It was court day, and Naruto was a nervous wreck. His fingers were shaking so hard he could barely do up his shirt; eventually Sasuke had to step in and do it for him.

"Dobe, you're going to be fine," he said amusedly, helping him to put on his tie. "We've got one of the best lawyers in the company."

"Yeah right. Jiraiya's a scary pervert!" Naruto loudly complained. "I don't understand why _you_ couldn't have just represented us."

"One, because I'm involved in the case, therefore not an objective viewer," Sasuke began tersely. "And two, because you and I have a relationship, which makes me biased."

"Yeah, yeah, so you've said," Naruto grumbled. "I still think it's stupid."

"Well you can take it up with our judicial system, then," Sasuke retorted. He pulled back and looked at his work. "You're all set, dobe."

Naruto leaned up and gave him a peck on the lips. "Thank you."

Sasuke colored a little. "Hn. You're welcome."

"You two lovebirds ready to go yet?" Kakashi asked, peeking in from the doorway.

"Yeah," Naruto replied, moving to leave. Sasuke caught his arm and pulled him back, eyes intense as they locked with his own.

"It's going to be okay," he said softly. "I promise."

Naruto smiled at him, a bit tremulously, and murmured, "Yeah. I hope so."

Sasuke let go of him, fingers brushing over the other's skin as he passed by him.

"Kakashi! Iruka!" the blonde called as he entered the living room. "We're ready to– oh."

He stopped, turning tomato red as he realized what the other two men had been doing; Iruka's button up shirt was rumpled and half untucked, Kakashi's hands were low on his hips; both of their lips were red and slightly swollen from kissing, and Kakashi's hair was in complete disarray from his lover's questing fingers.

"Uh, s-sorry to interrupt," Naruto stuttered, putting his hand over his eyes in embarrassment.

Iruka quickly pulled away from his lover, blood rushing to his face and making it turn as red as Naruto's. He hurriedly began straightening his hair and clothing, muttering incoherent apologies all the while, avoiding eye contact with everyone around him at all costs.

Kakashi smirked and lazily smoothed his own rumpled shirt, then ran his hands through his tousled hair. "Took you long enough," he said, but he sounded more satisfied than irritated.

Naruto cleared his throat. "Yeah, well, we're ready to go now. So, um, yeah. Let's leave."

Sasuke very nearly snickered behind him at his extraordinarily awkward behavior; the blonde turned around to glare at him before making his way over to the door of the apartment. The other three men sobered and followed suit, heading outside and piling into Sasuke's car before driving towards the courthouse. On the way over, Naruto stared out of the window, fingers clenching and unclenching in his lap, nervousness thrumming through him like a drug.

He was terrified that he was going to screw up.

This was their chance– to take down Orochimaru, to take down the Akatsuki; to rid themselves forever of the horrible presence that had been ruining their lives for the past year.

They could end all of it, today...

....if Naruto could keep himself together and perform.

He sighed and rubbed a shaky hand over his face, praying that he wouldn't say the wrong thing, _hoping_ to God that he'd remember everything Jiraiya had told him in the past two weeks, wondering what Sasuke would think if he failed disastrously...

He sighed; his thoughts were racing. How was he supposed to _do _this?

"You're worrying," Sasuke said calmly, glancing at the man out of the corner of his eye from his spot behind the steering wheel.

Naruto's fingers twisted in his lap. "I'm nervous."

"Don't be," Iruka spoke up from the backseat. "We have plenty of evidence against him."

"I know, I just... I don't want to screw it up," Naruto replied fretfully.

"Just tell the truth, dobe, and you'll be fine," Sasuke tersely reassured as he turned into the court parking lot.

"Fuck," Naruto said emphatically. "Why does Konoha have to be such a damn small town?"

"To bother you," Kakashi said lazily.

"Ha ha," Naruto said sarcastically, then grimaced as the car came to a stop.

Sasuke turned to him, black eyes questioning. "You ready?"

"No," the blonde said honestly.

"Yes you are," Iruka countered. "You've been studying your statement for weeks."

"It's not enough," Naruto mumbled, looking down at his hands.

"You'll be–

"Iruka, give me a minute with him," Sasuke said quietly.

"O-oh, okay," Iruka said sheepishly, turning to his lover and gesturing for him to follow. "We'll meet you inside, then."

Sasuke nodded and watched them leave before turning back to Naruto. "You can do this," he said firmly.

Naruto shook his head, looking up at him with panicked blue eyes. "No. No, I can't, Sasuke," he breathlessly replied.

Sasuke reached out with both hands and cupped Naruto's face, bringing him close to his own before repeating, "_Yes, _you can." Naruto's eyes dropped, avoiding his own. "Look at me, Naruto." The blonde reluctantly obeyed. "You're going to be _fine. _All you have to do is tell the truth. If something happens, we'll all be there to back you up. It's going to work out."

Naruto sighed shakily and leaned in closer to bury his face in Sasuke's shoulder. "I'm gonna say something wrong; I know it," he said softly.

"Where did my stubborn, confident dobe go?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow, hands absently moving up to trace over his lover's back. "You were raring to go a few days ago."

"Yeah, I know," Naruto mumbled, sighing into his lover's shirt. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"I think it's just cold feet," Sasuke said with a shrug. "You'll be fine once you get in there."

Naruto snorted against his chest. "Yeah, right. And you'll turn into a teddy bear and dance around singing 'I Feel Pretty'."

Sasuke smirked, rolling his eyes a little. "Come on, dobe. We've got to go."

The blonde whined incoherently and clung to him, turning his face to the side to press a kiss to the other man's neck. "Let's just stay here," he whispered.

"Not a chance," Sasuke said firmly, pulling his lover's head away from his shoulder and kissing him briefly before turning to the car door.

"Sasuke," Naruto murmured before he opened it. "Thank you."

Sasuke nodded and gave him a reassuring look before the two left the car and made their way quickly towards the courthouse.

Once inside Naruto's nervousness returned tenfold. He was barely aware of meeting up with Kakashi and Iruka, of passing through security, of the reassuring smile from Jiraiya just outside the courtroom; the next thing he knew he was staring at a judge and a jury, watching the former slam his mallet to begin the biggest trial of his life.

"Prosecution, opening statements," the judge directed. He was a rather ordinary looking man, of average height and appearance; thinning brown hair and wise blue eyes, with a perpetually blank expression.

Jiraiya stood and began to speak. Naruto vaguely heard the words; he tried to concentrate but all he could think about was the prickly stare of Orochimaru's black eyes from across the room.

"...And so, we plan to not only prove Orochimaru's role in the assaults of Naruto Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka, but also his involvement in the former's kidnapping one year ago," Jiraiya finished.

"Thank you, prosecution. Defense, your opening statements."

A smarmy-looking man with long silver hair in a ponytail and large glasses got to his feet and stepped to the floor.

"Your honor, kind jury members, allow me to tell you the story of an innocent man who's been caught in the snares of a tangled web of lies told by one Naruto Uzumaki."

The blonde stiffened beside Sasuke, broken out of his nervous reverie by the anger he felt flood through him at the assertion. Sasuke put a hand on his knee under the table and squeezed in reassurance. Naruto laced their fingers together and focused on the words of the defense's lawyer.

"Now, I am sure you are all aware of who my client is. Orochimaru is well known in the community for his exemplary work in the science field; in fact, his numerous experiments have given us some of the most valuable knowledge of our time."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes at the blatant, dramatic exaggeration.

"Now the prosecution asserts that my client– this renowned, intelligent man– would stoop down to the level of crude brutality. The defense rests that these accusations are utterly preposterous. Orochimaru has an alibi for every incident the prosecution is staking claim to– the alleged assaults of Kiba Inuzuka and Naruto Uzumaki, as well as the kidnapping of the latter one year ago. We remain that Orochimaru has had no connection to the infamous Akatsuki gang, and we intend to prove to all of you his rather obvious innocence."

The shortness of his statement had the desired affect; it made the case look so simple, so cut and dry, that even Naruto felt doubt begin to creep into his veins.

Sasuke squeezed his fingers, sensing his thoughts. Naruto looked up at him, blue eyes wide and vulnerable; the dark-haired man gave him a firm look and mouthed, "Focus. They've got nothing."

Naruto nodded and turned back to the judge, who said, "Prosecution, first witness."

Jiraiya stood and said, "Prosecution calls Kiba Inuzuka to the stand."

Kiba, still in a wheelchair for the time being, was pushed across the court by a nurse, then helped into the stand. He took the oath and then the judge called Jiraiya up to question him.

"Were you in the Konoha playground the night of the alleged assault on Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yes," Kiba confidently replied.

"Could you tell us what happened that night?"

"Well–

"Objection," Kabuto spoke up. "Narration."

"Sustained."

Jiraiya grunted and rephrased the question. "Did anything unusual occur that night?"

"Yes," Kiba confirmed. "I was walking along, on my way to hang out with some friends, when I heard some weird noises. As I got closer I realized that someone was getting beaten up; there were cries of help and I heard the sounds of fists hitting a body."

"Did you see any of this happening?"

"A little bit. It was dark, and I was just running blindly towards the sounds. I could only make out a tall figure standing above a smaller, huddled one, punching and kicking him. By the time I got close enough to see any more of it, the tall guy took off and left the other one there."

"What happened when you got to the victim?"

"I asked him if he was alright and if there was anyone I could call to come help him. He gave me Sasuke's number and I called him. It took him about ten minutes to get there, during which time Naruto and I introduced ourselves and talked a little."

"Did he say anything about the assault that had just occurred?"

"Not much. He was in a lot of pain, so I think it was a little hard for him to talk. I mostly chattered away until Sasuke showed up."

"And what happened when Mr. Uchiha arrived?"

"He picked Naruto up and thanked me."

"So Naruto was too hurt to walk on his own?"

"Objection, leading the witness," Kabuto lazily spoke up.

"Sustained."

Jiraiya nodded and amended, "How extensive were Naruto's injuries, from what you could see?"

"Well, he didn't move from the fetal position for the entire time I was with him. He was pretty banged up."

"Could you describe any specific injuries?"

"He was bent over his stomach and was breathing kind of oddly, like the wind had been knocked out of him. His lip was bleeding too."

"Alright. After Sasuke and Naruto left, did any further incident occur?"

"Yes. I met up with my friend Neji, and we had a little bit of an argument. He walked ahead of me, so I ran after him; when I came around a corner, this guy came out of nowhere and tackled me."

"Did you see what he looked like?"

"No, it was so fast; all I saw was a blur and then I was falling to the ground. I tried to get back up, but he slammed his foot down on my chest and pushed me back down. Then he said, 'You say one word to anyone about what you saw tonight, you won't live to regret it.'"

There was silence for a moment as that statement sunk in.

"So he threatened you, and then what?" Jiraiya prompted.

"I, uh... I cursed at him, then grabbed his ankle to try and pull it off my chest. He reared back and kicked me in the side. I thought he was gonna hit me again, so I tried to scramble to my feet– but he grabbed me by the hair and yanked me back to the ground. I told him to get off of me and I guess I made him angry because the next thing I knew his hands were wrapped around my neck and he told me...he told me that he could crush my throat as easily as he could crush an insect."

Once again, there was a disturbed silence.

"After that," Kiba hesitantly continued. "I... I was pretty freaked out. I started scratching at his arms and trying to get him off of me; and that's when I realized that he was wearing a mask over his face. I reached up and pulled it down– I caught a pretty good glimpse before Neji came to the rescue and the guy took off running."

"Were you able to identify the attacker in a line up?"

"Yes," Kiba said firmly.

"Is the man who assaulted you here in this courtroom?"

"Yes," Kiba repeated.

"Could you point to him?"

Kiba turned fierce eyes on Orochimaru and lifted his hand to point directly at him. "That's him," he said lowly.

Jiraiya allowed a moment for that to sink in, then said "No further questions" and walked back around to the prosecution's bench.

"Defense, you may begin your cross-examination," the judge instructed.

Kabuto got to his feet and gazed at Kiba speculatively. The brunette glared at him, challenge in his eyes.

"Have you ever heard of my client, Mr. Inuzuka?"

"Objection– irrelevant," Jiraiya said calmly.

"Overruled," the judge replied, gesturing for Kabuto to continue.

"I ask again– have you ever heard of my client?" the white-haired man repeated.

Kiba shrugged. "Not until after all this happened. My Dad and I just moved to this part of the city. I haven't really been in the loop with the local news or anything."

Kabuto paused, thinking for a moment. "You've never seen his face?"

"Other than that night, no," Kiba said honestly.

This appeared to perplex the other man; it was obvious he'd thought that Kiba had had some hidden resentment towards Orochimaru, and he'd simply claimed that the latter's face was that of his attacker's. He recovered and asked slowly, "How late at night was this alleged assault?"

Kiba thought back; he'd been expected to be at Shino's fight at 8:00, and he'd been at least twenty minutes late. "I'd say about 8:30-ish."

Kabuto rose an eyebrow. "It was dark, then?"

"Yes," Kiba said snidely.

"And you were able to obtain an accurate picture of your attacker's face after one glimpse in the middle of the night?"

"I was able to pick him out in a line up, wasn't I?" Kiba retorted, anger bubbling up in his expression. "Without _ever_ seeing his face before."

Kabuto frowned, nostrils flaring. "No further questions."

"Mr. Inuzuka, you may step down," the judge said, gesturing for Kiba to do so. The brunette waited for his nurse to come and help him, then slowly made his way back to the witness bench, grinning happily at Sasuke and Naruto as he passed.

"Prosecution, please call your next witness."

Jiraiya stood and said, "Prosecution calls Sasuke Uchiha to the stand."

Naruto squeezed his lover's fingers one last time, nearly clinging to them, and the other gave him a smirk of reassurance before strolling up to the stand. He took the oath and then faced Jiraiya, face the complete mask of cool confidence.

"Mr. Uchiha, where were you the night of the alleged assault?"

"I was with Naruto at the playground beside the Konoha Elementary School."

"And did you stay there for the remainder of the night?"

"No. After Naruto and I had an argument, I went home."

"Did you come back to the playground at any point?"

"Yes. I came back when Kiba Inuzuka called me and let me know that Naruto was hurt."

"And how would you describe the appearance of Mr. Uzumaki when you arrived and caught sight of him?"

"Extensively injured," Sasuke grunted. "At home afterwards when I looked him over, he was already bruising quite darkly on his stomach as well as on his lower back."

"Did he say anything about what had happened to him?"

"He told me that the attacker was Orochimaru. At that point I wanted to go straight to the police– but he was adamant that we let it go; he was terrified of what the consequences would be. Orochimaru had threatened his life as well as my own; he'd told Naruto that he'd never see me again if he didn't go to the police the next day and convince them to let go of the case against Kisame Hoshigaki."

"Who also is being charged for the assault of Naruto Uzumaki," Jiraiya pointed out to the jury. He refocused on Sasuke and continued, "So Naruto was obviously frightened by the threats-- how else was Naruto affected psychologically after the assault?"

"Objection, question calls for speculation," Kabuto quickly intervened.

The judge hesitated. "Overruled," he finally said.

"Was Naruto emotionally upset after the assault?" Jiraiya repeated.

"Yes," Sasuke confirmed. "He... was crying, when I got to him. And when I tried to clean him up at home, he grabbed the towel from me and started scrubbing his face hard enough to bruise. He said I hadn't gotten everything off... I found out later, that by 'everything', he meant Orochimaru's saliva– he'd spit on Naruto's face."

There was a deep, pregnant pause as the jury took this in. Kabuto shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Orochimaru looked as cool and confident as ever.

"Did anything further happen after that?" Jiraiya eventually continued.

"No. I gave Naruto some ice and medication and he went to sleep."

"Alright," Jiraiya said, nodding. "Now, had you heard of Orochimaru before the alleged assault?"

"Yes. He was my client a year ago."

"And did you have a good relationship with him?"

Sasuke shrugged. "It was professional. We weren't friends, by any means, but we worked together fine."

"Did you notice anything unusual about Orochimaru during your time working with him?"

"Well, we were in Japan at the time, and he would frequently disappear and be unreachable for several days."

"And did one of his disappearances occur at the same time as the alleged kidnapping of Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Objection; leading the witness."

"Sustained."

Jiraiya nodded stiffly and amended, "During the five days that Naruto was missing, were you at all in contact with Orochimaru?"

"No," Sasuke replied. "I did not see him nor communicate with him until after Naruto was returned and hospitalized."

Jiraiya grunted, point made. "And did Naruto mention anything in particular about Orochimaru when he spoke of his memories of the kidnapping?"

"Well, he had nightmares nearly every night about a particular man that was there during the kidnapping. It was the same memory over and over; he could describe it to me perfectly. The most detailed aspect, though, was the man's voice; he knew it by heart– which makes sense, since he was blindfolded for all of the kidnapping and therefore his hearing was especially heightened– and when he first saw Orochimaru's face on television and heard him speak, he immediately came to me and told me he knew who the man in his nightmares was."

Jiraiya gave a subtle smirk of satisfaction at the other man's eloquent, effective response. "Did Naruto make any further comments about Orochimaru's involvement in his kidnapping?" he prompted.

"Yes," Sasuke continued. "When I came home from a recent business trip, Naruto revealed to me that the memory he'd been dreaming of had actually played all the way through during the time that I was gone. He told me that in the nightmare, his then mystery attacker had told him that he was one of my favorite clients, and that he'd worked with me several times."

"And how many times have you worked with Orochimaru, Mr. Uchiha?"

"Last year was my third case with him."

"No further questions," Jiraiya smugly finished.

"Alright. Defense, you may cross-examine the witness."

Kabuto stood, glancing warily back at Orochimaru, who gave him a glare and gestured for him to go forward.

"Mr. Uchiha," Kabuto began. "You say that you were in Japan during the alleged kidnapping last year, correct?"

"Yes," Sasuke confirmed.

"And Orochimaru, according to you, disappeared for several days, correct?"

"Yes."

"Where was Naruto found after he escaped the kidnappers?"

"The outer edge of Konoha," Sasuke said slowly, a little thrown off by the sudden subject change.

"So are you claiming that Orochimaru went from the United States to Japan and back again during those instances?"

Sasuke shrugged. "He had the money to do it."

"And what was the motive?"

"Objection– calls for speculation," Jiraiya spoke up.

"Sustained."

Kabuto sighed; tried a different tactic. "You say that you tried to contact Orochimaru several times whenever he 'disappeared.' Did you ever get a hold of him?"

"Yes," Sasuke confirmed. "Once or twice."

"And did he say anything about his whereabouts?"

Sasuke shrugged again. "Not really. He said he had some lab work to do; he never said explicitly where he was."

"And you don't believe that alibi?"

"No," Sasuke said, as if it were obvious.

"Couldn't it have been a coincidence that one of his disappearances occurred in line with Naruto's kidnapping?"

"I suppose, but–

"Did Naruto see Orochimaru on TV before or after the alleged assault?"

"Before," Sasuke growled.

"So couldn't it also be true that since Naruto had already convinced himself that Orochimaru had been involved in his kidnapping, he'd put his face to his attacker's that night in the playground?"

"Well, it's possible, but–

"No further questions," Kabuto cut him off.

Sasuke's nostrils flared in anger; he looked to Naruto, saw his blue eyes wide in panic and fear, and wanted to punch the snide lawyer in front of him.

"Thank you, Mr. Uchiha. You may step down."

Sasuke got up and strode back over to his lover, sitting down next to him and wishing he could reassure him somehow. He could see the spiraling panic in every nuance of the other's behavior; it was obvious that the realization had hit that everything could be crumbling down around him and he was the only one left who could salvage it. Sasuke saw his hands start to shake in his lap.

"Prosecution, your next witness," the judge called.

"Prosecution calls Naruto Uzumaki to the stand."

The blonde got to his feet and walked slowly to the stand, heart throbbing in his throat and fingers clenching and unclenching at his sides. He sat down and quietly took the oath, then faced Jiraiya, who gave him a confident nod before starting his examination.

"Okay, Naruto, why don't you start by telling me where you were the night of the alleged assault?"

Naruto cleared his throat and replied, "At the playground in Konoha. With Sasuke."

"And did anything unusual happen during your time there?"

"Yes," Naruto began, taking a deep breath before continuing, "Sasuke and I had an argument, and he left me there. After about two hours of waiting for him to come back, Orochimaru showed up. He asked me what I was doing all alone in the middle of the night and I told him I was just leaving. When I tried to pass by him and do so, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back."

"Was his grip painful?"

"Yes," Naruto confirmed.

"And what happened after that?"

"I told him to get off of me. When his hold only got tighter I started screaming for help, and he put his hand over my mouth to stop me. Then he said... he said that if I didn't get the police to drop charges against Kisame Hoshigaki as well as drop my own, I'd never see Sasuke again."

"And how did you react to that?"

"I started struggling and trying to get him off of me. I guess he didn't like that, because the next thing I knew he'd pulled back and smacked me across the face. After that I did the only thing I could think of– I reared back and I head-butted him as hard as I could." He smiled a little at the memory, then continued sheepishly, "That didn't turn out to be the best idea. He pretty much went crazy– he screamed something at me, and then he punched me in the stomach and the groin"– a few of the jury members winced– "And the pain was so bad that I couldn't stay standing. I fell to the ground and then he... he grabbed me by the hair, and spit on my face."

Naruto stared briefly out at the jury, letting the shocked looks on their faces reassure him– he was swaying the jury; he was doing this right.

"What happened then?" Jiraiya prompted quietly.

"He told me again that I had to get Kisame out of trouble, and I told him that I wouldn't do it," Naruto continued, old resentment resurfacing at the memory. "He slammed his knee into my back and I heard him start to scream something else, but then he suddenly cut off– I guess he'd heard Kiba approaching. He leaned down and whispered that I'd regret it if I didn't do what he'd said, then he punched me in the stomach again and left... after that, everything was kind of a blur. I threw up all over the sidewalk and I was having some major trouble breathing."

"Is that when Kiba showed up?"

"Objection, leading the witness."

"Sustained."

Jiraiya nodded. "What's the next thing you remember happening?" he rephrased.

"Kiba showed up," Naruto deadpanned, annoyed with Kabuto's rather pointless objection. "He seemed pretty shocked about my appearance and he asked if I wanted him to call someone to come get me. I gave him Sasuke's number and then we waited for him to arrive. He showed up within a few minutes and took me home."

"Were you able to walk with him or did you need assistance?"

"He, uh,... he carried me," Naruto said, coloring a little. "I don't think I could've walked if I'd tried."

"Very well. Let's move on. How did you know it was Orochimaru who confronted you in the playground?"

"Well, a couple of days before the assault, I'd heard of him and seen his face for the first time, so I recognized him when I saw him."

"And how did you find out who he was?"

"While I was giving my statement against Kisame Hoshigaki, I was given proof that he'd been involved in my kidnapping."

"Could you expand upon that?"

"Yes. What happened was, while I was in the investigation room being questioned, there was suddenly a thunk against the door, as if something had been thrown into it. The detectives ran to open it, and Sasuke, who'd been waiting outside, fell in, unconscious." Naruto felt anger pound in his veins at the memory. "Kisame was above him, snarling and yelling, and he shouted at Sasuke, 'I don't care what that snake Orochimaru says, I'll kill you and...'" he hesitated a little, and continued quietly, "'and your slut too.'"

He looked up, saw Sasuke's eyes darken in anger; he hadn't been conscious to hear Kisame's threat.

"And you did not recognize Orochimaru's name when you heard it, correct?"

"No," Naruto denied. "I'd never heard of him before."

"So what did you do with this new information?"

"Well, at that point, I was honestly only worried about Sasuke," Naruto replied. "It wasn't until later, when I was watching TV and heard the anchor of a news station welcome a man named Orochimaru onto the show that I remembered what I'd heard."

"And how did you react when you saw his image on the screen?"

"It was frightening," Naruto admitted. "Even though I'd never seen him before, my body _recognized_ him in some way. My stomach just...dropped. And when I heard his voice, I knew for sure. He was the same man who'd kidnapped and tortured me a year ago. There was no doubt it my mind."

Jiraiya nodded approvingly, then turned to the judge to say, "We have a report of voice recognition administered by the Konoha Police Department to Naruto a week ago."

"Alright. Bailiff?" the judge prompted, gesturing for him to get the said document. Jiraiya handed it to him and waited while the judge looked it over.

"In a group of nine voices, he was able to pick out Orochimaru's as the culprit," the judge mused.

"Yes," Jiraiya confirmed.

The judge handed the paper back over to the bailiff, who then gave it back to Jiraiya.

"Alright. You may continue with your examination."

Jiraiya turned back to Naruto. "Mr. Uzumaki, if you would please point to the man who assaulted you."

The blonde lifted shaking fingers to point at Orochimaru, who gave him such a chilling look that he almost pulled his hand back.

"And would you point to the man who you believe kidnapped you one year ago."

Naruto kept his finger pointed right at Orochimaru, and felt confidence rise up within him– he was going to put this bastard away.

"No further questions, your honor."

Jiraiya stepped back and gave Naruto a subtle wink; the blonde smirked happily at him, then quickly refocused on the situation at hand.

"Defense, you may proceed," the judge instructed.

Kabuto stood and strolled up to face Naruto, expression inscrutable. "You claim that my client assaulted you, and yet you have no medical report nor any decent witness accounts of such an occurrence," he said slowly.

"Sasuke and Kiba both saw the bruises," Naruto cut in angrily. "I didn't give them to myself, you know."

"Mr. Uzumaki, please answer only direct questions," the judge said sternly, glancing down at him.

"Sorry," the blonde said sheepishly, scratching his head.

"It's alright. Prosecution, you may continue."

"I'm not saying that you made up the assault, Naruto," Kabuto said smoothly. "Just that, perhaps, in all the confusion and fear, and with it being so dark outside, you got your attacker's identity mistaken."

Naruto grit his teeth and forced himself not to respond.

"Now, let's move on to the alleged involvement of my client in your kidnapping. Did you ever _see _Orochimaru during the time that you were missing?"

"No," Naruto growled. "I'd only ever heard his voice– I was blindfolded the entire time. I'd _never _seen his face before that night he came on the news."

"How many different people, would you say, were involved in the kidnapping?"

"Objection, out of scope. (A/N: the subject matter of the question was not covered during direct examination and therefore cannot be brought up in cross.)."

"Overruled."

Kabuto lazily repeated the question.

"There were at least five," Naruto responded.

"Five or more voices without faces to match them to in an incredibly high stress situation, and you claim that you could distinguish Orochimaru's?" Kabuto mused.

"I did it when there were nine," Naruto challenged.

Kabuto shrugged nonchalantly. "What kind of conditions were you under during this voice recognition test?"

Naruto's nostrils flared. "I was in an investigation room."

"That's quite a bit different than a cellar, blindfolded and being beaten up, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, but–

"Let's move on to the alleged connection between Kisame Hoshigaki and my client," Kabuto smoothly cut in. "Could you start by telling me what you know about Kisame's mental state?"

Naruto bristled and responded, "He tried to cut off all of his limbs. I think it's safe to say that he was pretty unstable."

"Couldn't it be true, then, that whatever he said about Orochimaru was the nonsensical mutterings of insanity?"

"All he mentioned was his name," Naruto replied. "It wasn't like he'd given me some grand token of information about their connection to one another." He paused for a second. "No, all he really allowed me to do was match a face to the voice that had haunted my dreams for over a year."

He'd said the right thing, it seemed. Kabuto looked rather stumped; most of the jury looked impressed.

Kabuto cleared his throat and tried to recover. "So, you believe that the two were involved together in your kidnapping last year?" he asked.

"Yep," Naruto easily confirmed. "I remember Orochimaru calling Kisame by his name several times while I was being held captive." He smiled a little, smugness creeping into his expression. "I guess he thought I'd never be able to escape to tell the tale."

Kabuto's lips thinned in anger; Naruto was dodging every question perfectly. The jury was clearly on his side; he had to do something, and quick.

He had to...fluster him, somehow. Get him to screw up.

_Shouldn't be too hard, _he thought with a smirk.

He strode closer to the blonde man and peered at him speculatively. "You're homosexual, correct?"

"Objection– irrevelant!" Jiraiya said loudly.

"Explain yourself, prosecution," the judge requested.

"I wish to explore the dynamic of he and Sasuke Uchiha's relationship," Kabuto said innocently.

The judge thought for a moment, and then turned to Jiraiya. "Your objection is overruled. Prosecution, you may continue."

"Are you homosexual?" Kabuto repeated. "Do you and Sasuke have an intimate relationship?"

"Yes," Naruto replied, bewildered.

Kabuto strolled back to his desk and picked up a paper, then drawled, "It says here, Mr. Uzumaki, that you were sexually assaulted by Kisame Hoshigaki as well physically assaulted. Is that correct?"

"U-uh, yes," Naruto said again, still not understanding this line of questioning.

Kabuto set down the paper and walked up towards Naruto, looking straight into the blue eyes before asking slowly, deliberately, "So how can we be sure you weren't aroused by Mr. Hoshigaki's advances?"

And all at once everything was a blur.

Jiraiya shouted "Objection!" and leapt from his seat; Sasuke jumped up and lunged for Kabuto; Iruka stood from the audience, snarling and yelling; and Naruto curled in on himself and put his arms over his head, desperate to hide from the chaos.

"Order! Order!" the judge yelled, banging his mallet forcefully against the desk in front of him. "Order in the courtroom!"

Jiraiya caught Sasuke by the arms and wrestled him back to his seat; the other man resisted, face twisted in a murderous expression as he fought to rip apart the sickening man in front of him. Eventually he settled and yanked himself from Jiraiya's grip, sitting back against the chair with rage still thrumming through his veins.

In the audience, Kakashi tugged at his lover's arm and pulled him back down; Iruka obliged, but only after throwing one more angry insult and glare at Kabuto. Several others who had stood in anger slowly began to settle and reseat themselves; after a few minutes, everyone was back in their rightful places, and the judge began to speak.

"Mr. Yakushi," he began, voice low and forceful, leveling stern eyes at Kabuto. "That was an entirely inappropriate question. I am sorely tempted to throw you out of this courtroom and re-appoint a state representative to your client." He paused. "I will allow you to stay, but should I hear one more infraction like that, you're out of here, got that?"

"Yes sir, sorry sir," Kabuto said respectfully, but there was no real regret in his tone.

"Now, we are going to take a short recess. When we resume, I expect order and professionalism in this courtroom. Is that clear?"

Every head nodded.

He got up and swiftly walked out of the back door; there was a moment of silence, and then everything got going again.

Sasuke hurried to the witness stand, where Naruto was still sitting hunched in on himself, shaking hands ripping at his hair and breath quick and anxious.

"Naruto," Sasuke called, gesturing for the bailiff to open the half door. The blonde looked up, blue eyes wide and panicked, and stumbled to his feet when the bailiff beckoned him forward. He stepped out of the box and walked right into Sasuke's arms, pressing his face into his lover's chest and gripping his shirt in a white-knuckled grip.

Sasuke lifted a hand and stroked his hair, his neck, his back, wanting nothing more than to take the other man out of this situation somehow. "It's alright," he said softly, kneading the skin on the back of his lover's neck. "You're doing fine." He glanced up briefly, saw some of the jury members stop and stare at the two of them, and only pulled the other man closer.

"I can't do this," Naruto whispered, voice muffled against Sasuke's shirt.

"Just hang in there," Sasuke said firmly. "You're almost done."

"What else is he going to ask, Sasuke?" Naruto said desperately, pulling back to lock eyes with the other man.

Sasuke looked over his fearful expression and brought both hands up to rest on either side of his head, thumbs brushing over his blonde hair in a soothing motion.

"The judge is pissed," he replied reassuringly. "I doubt he's going to let Kabuto even finish the cross examination, and if he does, his questions will be heavily monitored. You don't have anything to worry about."

Naruto bit his lip. "You think?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied resolutely. "Now come on, let's get out of here for a bit."

Naruto offered him a shaky nod and allowed his lover to lead him out of the courtroom, reveling in the warmth and strength of the arm wrapped firmly around his shoulders. Once outside they met up with Kakashi, Iruka, Neji, and Kiba, who were all wearing identical expressions of lingering anger.

"That was entirely uncalled for," Iruka said fiercely. "If a woman had gotten raped or sexually assaulted, that question would have _never_ been asked. Just because you're a _gay _man, that bastard thought he could question your role as the victim of a vicious attack. I swear, I want to rip that man to shreds–

"Woah, there, tiger," Kakashi soothed, pulling him back and offering Naruto a rueful grin. "As you can probably guess, I had to hold him back in there. He was furious."

"We all were," Neji spoke up.

"Yeah, I wanted to punch his face in," Kiba growled from his wheelchair. "Stupid asshole."

Naruto gave them all a half-hearted grin and absently leaned into Sasuke. "Thanks, guys."

Sasuke looked down at him, saw the shaky demeanor still lingering there, and said quietly to the others, "We're going to go outside for a minute. Meet you back inside, alright?"

"O...kay," Iruka said slowly. "See you in a bit, then. Good luck, Naruto– you're doing great."

"Yeah, this guy's toast," Kiba said forcefully.

Naruto nodded and let himself be steered away from them and out of the courthouse, where Sasuke then led him over to a small alcove behind the building.

"What's up?" the blonde asked, not understanding their departure.

Sasuke sat down against the trunk of a tree and gestured for Naruto to sit in between his legs. The blonde obeyed, laying back against his chest and staring up at him in question. "I just thought you needed to relax," his lover murmured against the his temple.

"Oh," Naruto replied, surprised. "Thank you."

He slowly let himself calm, muscles unclenching and breath evening out as Sasuke's arms wrapped around him and the cool breeze washed over their entwined bodies.

"I wanted to kill him, you know," Sasuke said softly after a minute, thumbs brushing over the skin of Naruto's hip.

"Yeah, I know," Naruto replied, curling up closer to him. "I've never seen you look so angry."

Sasuke's arms tightened a little around him. "Because he was an absolute moron."

Naruto swallowed thickly, fingers digging into the other's shirt. "So you... you didn't believe him, then?" he asked, voice quiet and oddly vulnerable. "What he said about, about me, you know, enjoying it...?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He scooted to the side and turned Naruto towards him so he could look him in the face. "Don't you _ever _think that again," he said forcefully. "I know what happened to you, Naruto. I was right outside of that door. I heard you screaming for help. I heard you say _no._"

Naruto's lips trembled; he stared into the black eyes of his lover, absorbing the fierce intensity radiating from them.

Sasuke reached out and traced over the blonde's mouth, down his cheek and the side of his neck. "You were hurt so badly, Naruto, and I'm sorry for that. I wish I could have protected you somehow."

"Sasuke–

"No, listen," the dark-haired man interrupted. "There were definitely things I could have done to have prevented it; you can't convince me otherwise. But I can't change the past. What I _can _focus on is protecting you _now– _from yourself, and that stupid, self-destructive brain of yours."

Naruto bit his lip and looked down at his hands. Sasuke tilted his chin up and said firmly, "I won't let you convince yourself that you had any part in what these bastards did to you, Naruto. You were innocent– it wasn't your fault in any way, shape, or form."

Naruto sighed, gave his lover a shaky nod. "Thanks, Sasuke," he murmured, leaning forward to kiss him.

The other man grunted and wrapped his arms around the blonde, feeling Naruto automatically mold himself against his chest; it was at that moment, staring down at his lover's body curled around his own, that Sasuke realized something.

He'd do anything for Naruto. He wanted to protect him, to help him, to simply be there for him, whenever he was needed– and it was suddenly clear to him that he didn't give a damn if being with him made his judgement shitty, or if it destroyed his ability to behave rationally.

If it was for Naruto's sake, nothing else mattered.

He was okay with being imperfect. He was _okay _with having flaws. He'd make a million mistakes– for Naruto. He'd never forget that again.


	23. The Trial Part 2

**AN:** Next part of the trial, comin' your way! I'm so glad everyone's enjoying my nerdy mock-trial knowledge.. I hope you continue to enjoy the second part! Thanks so much to my faithful reviewers. We're comin close to the end, folks! Stay with me!

**Warnings:** Kissing, cursing.

**Pairings:** Sasuke/Naruto, Kakashi/Iruka, Neji/Kiba

**Disclaimer:** Charas aren't mine; I'm not makin mulah!

---------------

"You ready?" Sasuke asked, breath gusting out across Naruto's blonde tendrils.

"I guess so," Naruto mumbled into his lover's neck, nosing at the other's skin and inhaling his scent.

Sasuke arched away from the ticklish sensation and got slowly to his feet. "Come on, then," he said, holding out a hand for the other man. Naruto grabbed his lover's fingers and the other man pulled him a little harder than necessary, sending him careening into his chest with an 'oof.'

"Jerk," the blonde muttered, but he was grinning. He pulled back and gazed at his lover, at the glittering black eyes and the familiar smirk, and couldn't resist leaning forward to press their mouths together in a tender kiss.

"We don't have time," Sasuke said against his lips, though he didn't make any move to pull away.

"I don't care," Naruto murmured, bringing his hands up to grasp at his lover's thick black hair.

Sasuke allowed the kiss to go on briefly, then reluctantly backed away, peeling Naruto's arms off him before muttering, "C'mon, dobe, we've got to go back inside."

The blonde sighed. "Alright, alright. Lead the way, teme."

They headed back into the courtroom, took their seats, and waited for the judge to re-enter. By the time he did, Naruto was nervous again, and clutching Sasuke's hand like a lifeline underneath the prosecution's table.

The judge banged the mallet once and said loudly, "Silence. Court has been resumed."

Everyone settled and focused their attention on him.

"We will be picking back up with the defenses' witnesses," the judge began sternly. "I have decided not to allow Mr. Yakushi to continue cross-examining Mr. Uzumaki due to the highly inappropriate behavior he exhibited prior to our recess."

Kabuto's jaw worked in anger; beside him, Orochimaru's only visible reaction was to raise an eyebrow.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and loosened his hold on his lover's fingers, feeling the tension drain out of him at the news.

"Defense, you may call up your first witness."

The next hour or so was a blur to Naruto; he watched renowned person after renowned person get up and vehemently defend Orochimaru's honor as well as provide an extensive list of alibis for every crime in question. Jiraiya got absolutely nowhere with his crosses; they were all stubborn as stone and refused to say anything but their rehearsed pieces about Orochimaru's innocence. Naruto felt helplessness creep into his veins.

He watched the jury the entire time; watched the lines of their faces as they creased and relaxed, watched the subtle darkening or widening of their eyes, watched for every change in demeanor; he didn't want to miss any evidence of their shifting confidence.

It wasn't until Orochimaru hit the stand that Naruto refocused on the actual trial going on in front of him.

The oily snake strode up to the stand as if he expected the courtroom to bow down before him; he had an effortless sort of stroll that bespoke of grace and power, cunning and evil. Naruto felt sick.

Kabuto stood, a subtle smirk gracing his features; he was confident. He slowly drawled, "Orochimaru, had you ever heard of Naruto Uzumaki before all of this came about?"

"Only in passing," Orochimaru replied, and at the sound of his voice, Naruto's entire body stiffened. He closed his eyes against the onslaught of memories, and dug his nails into the back of Sasuke's hand.

Sasuke squeezed his fingers and looked over at his lover, eyes promising vengeance for the oily snake on the stand. "It's okay," he mouthed.

"How about Sasuke Uchiha?" Kabuto continued.

"Ah, yes, he was my lawyer for a few cases last year," Orochimaru confirmed.

"What kind of cases?"

"All civil," the man said with ease. "I was suing pharmacies for illegally selling my new medicine before I'd given them permission."

Kabuto nodded. "And how was your relationship with Mr. Uchiha?"

"It was professional," the other man replied, infusing artificial regret into his voice as he continued, "I did try and be friendly in order to develop a less stiff relationship with him. Unfortunately, he was quite antisocial, so I let the matter be."

Sasuke growled a little in his seat.

"Mr. Uchiha claims that you disappeared for days at a time. Could you tell the court about these incidents?"

"Certainly," Orochimaru said, with a sickeningly false smile. "As you all know, I am a scientist. I spend most of my time in the lab, working on new medicines. During my stay in Japan, I was working on a brand new drug that would alleviate the symptoms of thirteen different types of cancer."

He paused, allowed the jury a moment to be impressed, to be in awe of him, then continued humbly, "As you can probably imagine, the complexities of such a drug were vast and unpredictable. I had several assistants working for me in the lab while I was meeting with Mr. Uchiha, and they would often call me to tell me of new developments. Most of the time, these developments would require urgent action; as such, I had to leave to tend to them, often for several days at a time."

"And Mr. Chattman has already given testimony to your presence in the lab with him for all of those occasions," Kabuto reminded the jury. He turned back to Orochimaru. "Did you ever travel back to Konoha during your absences?"

"No," Orochimaru said, expression holding just the right touch of disdainful amusement at the mere idea. "I had lab work to tend to, as well as several law suits to win. I did not have the time nor the reason to make such tedious travel plans."

Kabuto nodded approvingly. "Alright, let's move on. Can you tell me where you were the night of the alleged assaults of Naruto Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka?"

"Certainly. I was at my residence discussing a legal matter with my lawyer."

"That would be me," Kabuto joked lightly. A few of the jury members smiled. Naruto scowled. "And what did we discuss?"

"The recent addition of Sasuke Uchiha to the ranks of your law firm," Orochimaru answered smugly.

This time, it was Sasuke's turn to stiffen in discomfort. There were a few surprised intakes of air from the audience and the jury; and one could almost hear the unasked question hovering in the air:

_Why would you be working with the man who supposedly did so many heinous things to your lover?_

Naruto ran a shaking thumb over Sasuke's knuckles in comfort, feeling his own confidence begin to drop.

Kabuto allowed just a few more seconds of wait time before continuing smoothly, "I see. So you two are currently working within the same proximity of each other?"

"Yes."

"And have you had any contact before or after the alleged assaults?"

Orochimaru shrugged nonchalantly. "We've talked once or twice. Very quick, cordial conversations."

"He never mentioned anything about the assaults that he believed you to be behind?"

"No," Orochimaru said innocently. "I mean, I even asked after Naruto. I'd heard about his kidnapping, and I was worried about his well-being. Mr. Uchiha, however, didn't act like anything was amiss."

Naruto had to physically hold Sasuke back from snarling at the lying man. His lover was absolutely infuriated– Orochimaru had twisted their encounters into this farce, and the jury was eating it up. He wanted to scream.

"Interesting," Kabuto drawled. "Very well. So you were allegedly speaking with me at your house the night of the assaults. Now, while I could not attest to this alibi, your maid, who was there as well, was kind enough to give her testimony just moments ago." He shot an 'appreciative' glance at the petite woman, who shrank back from him, obviously terrified by even a mere look from him.

Naruto's lips thinned in anger; this woman had definitely not offered to be Orochimaru's witness out of the kindness of her heart– she'd been coerced. Forced. Trapped. The blonde felt rage bubble up under his skin.

"...And she confirmed that you stayed at the house the remainder of the night, after I departed. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Orochimaru said effortlessly. "I was exhausted after a long, but rewarding day in the lab. I went to bed earlier than usual that night."

Kabuto nodded sympathetically. "Your job is certainly a stressful one. Now, I'd like to ask you one last question." He paused. "Are you now, or have you ever been, involved in the infamous Akatsuki gang?"

"No," Orochimaru said firmly.

"Then I have no further questions."

When the judge called him, Jiraiya immediately got to his feet, anger and determination etched into every contour of his face.

"What times did Kabuto arrive and depart from your house?" he asked abruptly, hoping to catch the other man off guard.

"He arrived at 5:00 and left at 9:00," Orochimaru said smoothly.

"You discussed Sasuke's place in the firm for four hours," Jiraiya deadpanned.

"Our relationship is not as...clinical as my previous one with Mr. Uchiha," Orochimaru replied, sending Kabuto an oddly leering look. "We can actually hold an amicable conversation for longer than a few minutes."

Sasuke glared. There had been a _reason _for their short interactions– say, he didn't know, because the other man was a slimy, manipulative snake?

"So you claim that you were not in the playground beside the Konoha elementary school the night of the assaults?" Jiraiya clarified, doubt thick in his voice.

"If you didn't hear me, I did just say that I was in my house for the entirety of the night."

Jiraiya bristled. "So what do you say to the eyewitness statements we've just seen?"

"I say that any person can innocently misperceive a situation due to environmental factors," Orochimaru said sweetly.

"Two people who had never heard your name or seen your face were able to pick you out in a line up as their attacker, and that's a product of misperception?" Jiraiya demanded, voice growing heated.

"Objection– badgering the witness."

"Sustained."

Jiraiya nearly growled, but obediently amended in a calmer tone, "If you're so sure that they were mistaken, what is your response to their success in picking _you _out of an entire group of people?"

"Memory is a funny thing," Orochimaru slowly replied, voice as smooth as silk. "It can play tricks on even the soundest of minds. Once a person latches onto an image in their head, their eyes will only see what complies with that newfound belief."

"Okay, so under that theory, Naruto saw your face on television and decided that you were out to get him. Fine. What about Kiba, then? He'd never seen you before. Not once."

"He got a bare glimpse of his attacker in the middle of the night, and he was probably emotionally shaken as well. There's no way he could've gotten an accurate look at the man's face."

"That doesn't answer my question. I asked your response to the fact that he picked you out. Immediately. Without hesitation."

"Coincidence," Orochimaru said easily. "He didn't have an accurate memory, as I said, and so he just happened to choose me."

"Just like Naruto 'happened' to choose you? _Your_ face, in a sea of faces; _your_ voice, in a group of nine?" Jiraiya asked angrily.

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you're asking me, sir," Orochimaru said calmly. "Could you please repeat or rephrase the question?"

Jiraiya sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, willing himself to settle down. Sasuke had been right, this man _was _infuriating. "How about we just move on? Why don't you tell me about last year."

"What about it?"

"You say you never traveled back to Konoha, correct?" Jiraiya asked, and there was an odd smugness to his voice.

Orochimaru _almost _hesitated, but it was so quick no one noticed. "Yes. I stayed in Japan, working on my medicines."

Jiraiya's lips quirked. "Judge, permission to approach?"

"Yes," the man granted.

Jiraiya went back to his desk briefly to grab a few papers, then handed them over to the bailiff, explaining as they were passed along, "These are records of Orochimaru's flight tickets to and from Konoha coinciding with the same week of Naruto's disappearance."

And just like that, Orochimaru's entire demeanor changed. For one moment, he turned his eyes on Naruto, and his glare was so _poignant_, so _enraged_, that Naruto shrank back in his chair, shuddering like he'd been electrically jolted; in the next second, the other man was completely stoic and indifferent looking, and Naruto felt like he'd imagined it. If it weren't for the thundering of his heart in his ears and the incessant convulsing of his fingers, he would've thought it had never happened.

Sasuke turned to look at him in question; he'd missed the look Orochimaru had given Naruto, and the blonde merely shook his head mutely, too terrified to do much else.

"These have been marked as top secret," the judge said to Jiraiya. "Why?"

"Well," Jiraiya began dramatically. "It would seem that the defense's client, Orochimaru here, didn't want anyone to find out about his private jet trips from Japan to Konoha last year."

The judge raised an eyebrow, and said, "I would like to keep these papers, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, sir," Jiraiya said smoothly.

"Very well. You may continue with your cross-examination of the witness."

"Alright." Jiraiya turned to Orochimaru, smug smirk in place. "Actually, I have no further questions for him."

Orochimaru sat straighter in his chair. "Excuse me, but I'd like to defend myself–

"I'm sorry, sir," the judge said sternly. "Both lawyers have finished questioning you. You may step down."

Orochimaru's face quickly relaxed into cool indifference, but Naruto could see anger flickering in his eyes, even from afar. "Yes, sir," he said through gritted teeth.

The bailiff opened the half-door and allowed Orochimaru to step down and head back to his bench.

"Alright," the judge said loudly. "This brings us to the end of our trial. The jury will be given sufficient time to deliberate, and then the verdict will be read." He banged his mallet once. "Court is adjourned."

As everyone around him got to their feet, Naruto took a long, shaky breath, and just barely stopped himself from turning into Sasuke and hiding himself against his chest. He felt so... off balance. Something was screaming at him; something just _wasn't right_ and he couldn't shake the feeling. He felt like he was about to be swept away by a storm, and no one else but him saw it coming.

"Naruto, you're pale," Jiraiya said concernedly, walking back to the bench and gazing down at him.

"Y-yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Naruto stammered, trying to slow his shuddering breaths.

"This is a lot to handle," Sasuke said quietly.

Jiraiya nodded sympathetically. "I'm sure it is." His expression spread into a satisfied smile. "But it's almost over, Naruto. I'm pretty sure we've got this in the bag."

Naruto smiled at him half-heartedly, but he couldn't shake the nagging doubt in the back of his mind, telling him something was _wrong. _

"Come on, Naruto, let's get out of here," Sasuke urged. "It'll probably be a while."

Naruto turned to him, biting his lip, trying to transfer what he was feeling through the shining fear in his eyes. His lover's own black irises roved over his face, sensing something was wrong.

"What are you guys waiting for?" came Kiba's voice as Neji wheeled him up to the bench. "We can go now, you know."

"W-what? Oh, yeah, I know," Naruto said quickly, pushing himself to his feet and trying to ignore the sensation of his stomach churning at the motion.

"That was freaking awesome," Kiba said happily, beaming obliviously up at Naruto. "I thought Orochimaru was going to explode when Jiraiya presented those plane records. How did you get those, anyway?"

The two chattered away as they headed out of the courtroom; Naruto and Sasuke followed behind them, the blonde gazing down at the floor in nervousness, the brunette staring over at the other in suspicious concern.

Once outside they milled about in the lobby of the courthouse until they found a cluster of benches sufficient enough for their entire group to sit together.

Sasuke pulled Naruto down next to him and immediately whispered, "What is it? You look strange."

"I...I don't know," the blonde answered. "I just have a weird feeling."

"Naruto, you did great in there!" Iruka exclaimed, beaming as he took a spot on the other side of the blonde.

"I didn't have to do anything," Naruto said sheepishly, coloring a little.

"Well, you know what I mean," Iruka laughed. "The case went well. I think we've got him."

"Yeah, I hope so," Naruto doubtfully replied.

"You look a little peaky," Iruka said softly. "Are you alright?"

The blonde shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. "I'm fine," he insisted. "Honestly."

Iruka gave him an odd look, but decided to let it go, leaning back against Kakashi and preparing for a long wait.

"Hey, Neji," Naruto called, looking over at the long-haired man.

"What?" Neji asked, turning white eyes on him.

"How's Kiba?" Naruto asked quietly, glancing at his friend, who was slumped over in his chair, obviously unconscious.

"He's fine," the other said in a clipped tone. "This was a lot for him to handle all at once. He'll be okay once he rests awhile."

Naruto bit his lip, felt guilt churn in his stomach. "I'm sorry he had to do this so soon after his surgery."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "It wasn't your fault that the court gave us this date."

The blonde's mouth opened and closed, then he smiled a little. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I just–

"–have a habit of blaming yourself for everything," Sasuke finished, smirking.

Naruto swatted at him. "Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, feeling himself slowly begin to relax. _You're fine; you were just being paranoid. Nothing's wrong._

"So how long do you think this is gonna be?" Kakashi asked, idly twirling a lock of Iruka's hair in his fingers.

Sasuke shrugged. "Could be minutes, could be hours."

Naruto groaned, leaned his head tiredly against his lover's shoulder. "I just want this all to be _over _already."

"We all do," Iruka said sympathetically. "That snake needs to be put away."

"Yeah," Naruto mumbled, and his tone was suddenly off.

Sasuke shook him a little and looked at him in question.

The blonde twisted his fingers in his lap. "It's just... It just hit me that Orochimaru is only one person. There's a whole gang of people who are out for my blood. This barely even cuts the surface."

"Don't think like that," Sasuke said sternly.

"I'm only being realistic, Sasuke," Naruto said sharply, turning wide eyes on him. "Orochimaru wasn't even the leader of the group. I mean, he's one out of who knows how many." His voice shook, breaths growing anxious and quick. "I don't think this will ever _be_ 'over'. They're never going to stop; they–"

Sasuke abruptly grabbed his lover by the chin and turned his head toward's him. "Stop," he said firmly, black eyes boring into Naruto's. "That kind of thinking won't do us any good."

"Nothing's gonna 'do us any good', Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, voice suddenly desperate. "It's useless; they're _never going to_ _leave us alone_!" He shook off his lover's hands and got to his feet, fists clenching and unclenching in nervous energy. "I'm sorry, I need to...I need to take a walk, or something. I'll be back soon."

With that he nearly ran out of the courthouse, leaving the rest of the group behind, staring at each other in bewilderment.

"Fuck," Sasuke said emphatically.

"I...agree," Kiba said sleepily, eyes blinking blearily open as he slowly came to.

"Hey," Neji greeted, face inexplicably growing softer. "You alright?"

"Peachy," the other said sarcastically, rubbing his hands tiredly over his face. He looked up to the rest of the group, who all looked obviously tense. "What's going on, guys?"

"Naruto freaked out," Kakashi deadpanned.

"He's stressed," Sasuke automatically defended, voice a warning growl.

"I was just saying," Kakashi said, hands going up in surrender.

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sorry," he grunted. "I'm a little on edge."

"No worries, brat," Kakashi said, waving him off.

They were silent for a moment, then Kiba said to Sasuke, "Well? Aren't you going to go after him?"

"I think he made it pretty clear that he wants to be alone right now," Sasuke said bluntly. "I don't want to make it worse than it already is."

"Trust me, the only thing that's going to make this new attitude worse is giving Naruto time to think about it on his own and get himself all riled up," Iruka said ruefully. "I think you should go talk to him."

Sasuke's lips thinned and his jaw worked; he hated when other people seemed to innately know what to do with his lover, while he was so often lost. He slowly got to his feet and muttered, "Fine."

"Good luck," Kakashi offered.

Sasuke nodded shortly and headed outside, eyes roving around for his lover's bright blonde hair. He walked around the front of building with no luck, and then headed around to the alcove they had gone to earlier. That's when he heard it; a frightened yelp and Naruto's panicked voice calling out,

"W-who are you? What do you want?"

Sasuke immediately broke into a run and rounded the corner, slamming straight into his lover, who was backing away from whoever was in front of him.

"S-shit!" Naruto yelped, whirling around in a panic before realizing who'd ran into him. "Jesus, Sasuke, you scared me!"

Sasuke didn't respond; he was glaring at the person in front of them, a short, red-haired man with narrowed black eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" he barked, subconsciously taking a protective step forward so that he was in front of Naruto.

"My name's Gaara," the man said quietly, his voice smooth and low.

Sasuke glanced to Naruto. "Did he hurt you?" he asked.

"No," the blonde said, a little shakily. "I just wasn't expecting anyone to be back here."

"Good." He turned back to Gaara, scowl still in place. "Alright, Gaara, what exactly do you want?"

"I merely wished to speak with Naruto," the redhead calmly replied.

"Right," Sasuke snapped. "That's why you snuck up on him in a secluded area instead of–"

Naruto walked out from behind him, fingers brushing against his lover's lower back as he passed. "Take it easy, Sasuke," he said quietly. "I don't think he means any harm."

Sasuke growled a little, but didn't say anything else.

Naruto smiled at Gaara and said, "Hullo. Sorry about that. We're just a little jumpy, ever since, ah..."

"You were kidnapped?" the other man filled in. Naruto nodded. "It's alright. I understand."

Something about the way he said it made Naruto blink in surprise. "Y-you do?"

"That's why I'm here," Gaara continued. "Two years ago, I too was taken by the Akatsuki."

"_What_?" Naruto hissed, stepping closer to him in awe.

Sasuke grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "We don't know him, Naruto."

The blonde's lips thinned and he turned back to Gaara, expression apologetic.

"No, he's right, Naruto," Gaara said softly. "You shouldn't trust anyone. Not in this world."

Naruto shuddered a little. "Why... are you telling me this? Why are you here?"

"I have proof of Orochimaru's involvement in the Akatsuki," the other replied. "I thought it could help your case."

"Well it's a little late for that," Sasuke snapped before Naruto could reply. "The jury are debating the verdict as we speak."

At this, Gaara looked vaguely startled, but the only evidence was in his flickering eyes. "The trial was shorter than I anticipated," he muttered to himself.

"Orochimaru's lawyer was an asshole and he was banned from questioning Naruto," Sasuke explained tersely. "It took out at least twenty minutes."

"Ah," Gaara said softly. "Well, I suppose I can't be of any help to you now."

He began to leave, and Naruto reached out and caught his arm. "Wait!"

At the touch, Gaara balked. He yanked his limb away and shoved at Naruto, prompting Sasuke to growl and step towards him. Naruto hurriedly pushed his lover back, eyes begging him to understand. The dark-haired man's nostrils flared, but he obediently retreated.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have grabbed you," Naruto apologized to Gaara. "I know...I know how startling it is when a touch comes out of the blue like that."

Gaara's black eyes were guarded as they looked up at Naruto's blue ones. "It's... okay," he said finally.

"Hey, why don't you come back inside and wait for the verdict with us?" Naruto offered kindly. "Perhaps, if it doesn't come out the way we want, we can call for an appeal and use whatever evidence you have in the next trial."

Gaara shrugged uncomfortably. "I think I'll just stay out here. You can...come find me after, if you desire."

Naruto frowned. "Well, alright. But you're welcome to come sit with us if you change your mind."

Gaara grunted and waved him off. "It's fine. Just go."

Naruto nodded, still frowning, and obeyed, walking towards the courthouse with Sasuke following close behind him.

"That was strange," his lover remarked.

"Mm, yeah," the blonde said distantly, obviously lost in thought.

"Hey," Sasuke said suddenly, stopping and turning Naruto to face him. "I know what you're doing to yourself. You've got to stop."

Naruto looked up at him, eyes shining defiantly. "Look, I'm just–

"Trying to think realistically, I know," Sasuke finished for him. "Ordinarily, you know I'd agree with that train of thought. But_,_" he sighed, grabbed Naruto's turning chin and forced him to look at him. "In this case, you're only going to make yourself crazy. You're playing into exactly what they want– to get under your skin."

"Well what am I supposed to do, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, exasperated. "Pretend that I'm not in danger? Act like once Orochimaru's put away– _if _he's put away– my life is going to go back to normal? I can't _do that._"

"And I'm not asking you to," Sasuke said quietly. "I'm just...damnit, I'm worried about you, Naruto. And I'm pissed as hell that I haven't given you the confidence to believe that I can protect you from this."

Naruto blinked, completely taken aback. "Sasuke..." he murmured. His lover looked away from him, jaw clenching at the realization of what he'd just confessed. The blonde touched his cheek, gently turning him back, needing to reassure him, to love him. "I _know_ you want to protect me," he began softly. "And I know you _can_– but Sasuke, not from everything. You're only human." When the other still didn't respond, he leaned forward until their foreheads were against one another's and their lips were almost touching. "I know you're right," he whispered. "I shouldn't be thinking so negatively; I should have faith in you that everything's going to eventually get better."

"But you don't," Sasuke concluded, voice surprisingly bitter.

Naruto's eyes narrowed, and he reached up to grip the back of his lover's neck a bit harder than necessary. "Don't put words in my mouth, teme."

"Sorry," the other man grunted.

Naruto sighed, eyes softening. "It's just hard, Sasuke. We haven't gotten a break for weeks. I'm starting to get tired. I'm starting to lose hope that this will ever go away."

Sasuke nodded, exhaling slowly. "I understand," he said stiffly.

Naruto moved his hands so that they were resting on either side of Sasuke's face, fingers ghosting reassuringly over the smooth skin. "But I'm...I'm going to try," he promised firmly. "Naruto Uzumaki does _not _give up. And I won't give them what they want– ever."

Sasuke smirked, familiar smugness glittering in his eyes. "That sounds more like my Naruto."

The blonde kissed him, then, soft and heady. "Thanks for bringing him back," he murmured against the other's lips.

"See, 'Ruka? I told you they'd figure it out," came Kakashi's amused voice from behind them.

Naruto, startled and embarrassed, pulled away from his lover, cheeks heating immediately. "Damnit, you two," he whined. "That was a private conversation."

Kakashi snorted and pointed to the court window, where several faces were staring through the glass, some curious, some softened in an 'aw, how sweet' expression, others more negative, twisted in vague disgust or disapproval.

Naruto put his hands over his face and groaned. "Please tell me I don't have to go back in there," he mumbled in a muffled voice.

Sasuke smirked and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Sorry, dobe. You're stuck for the next four hours, at least."

"Damn."

HURTCOPEHEAL

It ended up being six hours of waiting before the court was called back into session for the hearing of the verdict.

Naruto was a nervous wreck, wringing his hands in front of him as they made their way back into the courtroom, breaths fast and anxious at the prospect of what was about to happen. Sasuke strode in beside him, cool and confident as always; behind them, the rest of their group filed in and took their seats in the audience.

By the time Naruto sat down, he felt vaguely nauseous. His heartbeat was pounding so loudly in his ears he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to even _hear _the verdict, let alone react to it.

"Calm down, dobe," Sasuke muttered lowly, obviously sensing his anxiety; Hell, Naruto wouldn't be surprised if the entire court could feel the bubbling tension radiating off of him.

"Order, order," the judge called, banging his mallet only once and waiting for the court to become silent. Once everyone quieted, he gestured to the jury and said, "I understand you have come to a verdict on all three of the charges against Orochimaru. Please allow your representative to present these verdicts to the court."

They turned to look at a thin, elderly man seated in the middle of the jury, who slowly got to his feet and took a breath, looking down at the paper in front of him and preparing to read. Naruto's entire body thrummed with tension; he grabbed Sasuke's hand in his sweaty grip and waited with baited breath for the man to speak.

"On account of the charge of assault against Kiba Inuzuka, we found the defendant..."

The lights suddenly flicked off in the middle of his speech; there was a moment of silence, and then someone screamed.

The room erupted into chaos.

**AN:** Muahaha, one of my first cliffhangers! I'm sorry *dodges rocks* I'll update soon! Lots of love, my friends!


	24. The Puzzle Pieces Fall Into Place

**AN:** Wow, 16 reviews last chapter! Thanks so much for all your love and support, it means a lot!

Whew, okay.. so this chapter.. is something I'm really proud of. It's long, crazy, angsty, fluffy... everything I wanted it to be. It's the final chapter of this story, and there may be an epilogue, but.. it's pretty much done. I did it! It's been a crazy whirlwind, but it's been fun. Thanks so much for those reviewers who stuck with me the whole way-- kpop is luv, The Desiree Incident, and UchihaAkimoto, just to name a few.. I hope you all continue to read my stories and recruit new fans! haha lots of love to you my friends 33 enjoy!

**Warnings:** a bit of violence, cursing, kissing

**Pairings: **Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Neji/Kiba

**Disclaimer:** Not mine

-------------------

"Naruto, get out of here!" Sasuke yelled amidst the hundreds of shouting voices all around him, leaping to his feet and groping desperately for his lover's form beside him. When he felt and heard nothing from the other man he called out frantically, "Naruto? Naruto, answer me!"

And then, suddenly, he heard someone gasp, "Sasuke!" before there was a howl of pain and it was gone.

"Naruto!" he shouted, running in the direction of the sound. In the dark it was impossible to know where he was going; he cursed as he slammed into a desk, then a chair, but scrambled to his feet quickly enough and took off again. _Where the hell is he? Why aren't the security coming in? What the hell happened to the judge? _The thoughts raced in his mind but they were mere echoes in his head; he was barely aware of them, only focused on Naruto and his safety.

"Naruto, say something!" he called out, realizing that he'd gotten disoriented and no longer remembered where he'd heard his lover's voice.

He had about two seconds to prepare before another body slammed into his own, sending him careening to the floor with a harsh thud and a grunt of pain. Sasuke growled and brought a knee up to slam into his attacker's stomach, then froze mid-movement as he heard gunshots go off behind him.

_What the _fuck _is going on here?_

The second after he thought it, the man on top of him drove a fist into his chest, taking advantage of the momentary distraction to get a solid hit in. Sasuke grunted, grabbed the wayward fist, and viciously head-butted the man, smirking in satisfaction when the other yelped and threw himself sideways, most likely to clutch at a broken nose.

Sasuke shucked the man the rest of the way off of him, then got to his feet, remaining slightly crouched as he heard the gun-wielding men continue to shoot haphazardly all over the courtroom. Sasuke could hear screams of pain and grit his teeth, trying not to think of the others when Naruto was so obviously in danger.

Just then, he heard the sounds of struggling– muffled, panicked yelps and scuffling shoes– and he quickly, stealthily headed towards them. He was steps away when a hand suddenly shot out and latched around his throat.

"G-get off!" he coughed in surprise, fingers reaching up to grapple at the offending limb.

"Give it up, little brother," said a familiar, menacing voice mere inches from his face, making Sasuke freeze in recognition. "We're taking him and this time, you won't be getting him back."

Sasuke's eyes widened; he kicked out furiously at his brother, only to be lifted by his neck and tossed like a ragdoll several feet in the air, hitting the ground so hard he felt all of the breath rush out of his lungs.

"Sas-Sasuke!" he heard Naruto cry; then there was that pained shout again– Sasuke immediately leapt back into action, face twisted in a snarl.

"Let him go, Itachi!" he demanded, eyes roving over the pitch-black darkness in front of him, trying to make out the dark figures of his brother and Naruto.

"Hey, boss, it's time to get out of here– there's police outside!" yelled a burly voice from somewhere to Sasuke's left.

"Hn," his brother grunted, obviously not happy with this development. Sasuke latched onto the sound and lunged towards it, fists swinging. Right before one of his fists connected, the lights suddenly flickered back on; he got a glimpse of smug black eyes and a smirk so like his own before the barrel of a gun was slammed viciously into his stomach. Sasuke gasped and bent at the middle, eyes automatically watering at the horrible pain of it.

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried out again at the sight, voice desperate and pained. He struggled even harder in Itachi's hold, the agony in his body fading at the realization of what was happening; blinking away the colors swimming in his eyes, he saw the absolute destruction going on in front of him– men in masks with guns were roaming the courtroom, hurting anyone in their reach; people were screaming and crying, it was utter chaos.

He wanted to cry.

No, he wanted to _hurt. _

He felt the anger underneath his skin and he latched onto it, beginning to buck in Itachi's grip with new strength.

"Stay still," Itachi barked, turning to press the gun warningly into Naruto's side. At the feel of it, Naruto abruptly stopped moving, fear easily overpowering rage and morphing it into thrumming panic.

"Sasuke," the name of his lover fell off his lips in a breathy, frightened whisper. At the sound the other man finally rose up and lunged again for Itachi, who wrestled Naruto closer and jabbed the gun sharply against him in reminder. Sasuke stopped short and cursed, fists balling up at his sides.

"I'll murder you," he raged, eyes bright and murderous.

"Hey, you! Let the young man go!" came a voice behind him. Sasuke whirled around and caught sight of at least fifteen police officers filing into the courtroom, trying to grab the fleeing men before they jumped out of the windows or got through the exit door. One man, though, was not focused on catching the other culprits– the one who had spoken, who was barreling towards them with a gun aimed at Itachi. "I mean it, let him go!" he shouted.

"If you come any closer, I'll shoot him," Itachi said lazily, turning Naruto so that the officer could see the gun pressed deeply into his side.

"No he won't," Sasuke barked to the police man. "He needs him for something. He wouldn't kill him."

"I never said I'd kill him," Itachi replied calmly. "I need him alive, little brother, not comfortable. One shot to the leg or the arm shouldn't be too fatal."

Sasuke snarled at him and took a step closer; Itachi, fast as lightening, pointed the gun at Naruto's foot and shot.

The blonde howled and screamed, terror filling him completely; it took a full minute of sobbing and gasping before he realized that the bullet hadn't hit– Itachi had purposefully missed. And now he was laughing.

Sasuke's breath had caught in his throat; now it lodged there with an anger unlike anything he'd ever felt. He had to physically _force _himself not to lunge at his brother; the thing just barely keeping him in his spot was the knowledge that Itachi wouldn't miss the next time he stepped out of line.

"Now, sir, let's not get too hasty with that gun of yours," the officer said soothingly. Sasuke nearly screamed; this man had no idea what his brother was capable of– he was trying to stop a psychopath with soft words and gentle reassurances? The moron was certainly in for a surprise if he thought _that_ would be effective!

"What the fuck do you want with him, Itachi?" Sasuke asked instead, voice a heated growl.

"Oh, you don't know?" Itachi drawled, reaching up with one hand to pet Naruto's blonde hair; Naruto clenched his teeth at the touch and flinched away from him.

"Enlighten me," Sasuke snapped. "Why have you been making our lives miserable for the past year? _What do you want?_"

"Hm, it seems you really haven't figured it out," his brother said, eyebrows raising in the picture of incredulousness. He suddenly grabbed Naruto by his hair and wrenched his head back so that he was facing him. "Do _you_, pretty? Do you know what it is that makes you so valuable?"

"N-no," Naruto said, anger beginning to be replaced by fear as he looked into those dark, chilling eyes for the first time.

"Interesting," Itachi said softly, leaning into press his nose against the other's hair, breath ghosting out across Naruto's face.

"P-please," Naruto whispered, clenching his eyes shut at the sickening sensation. "Get away..."

"Get off him, Itachi!" Sasuke snarled, but one sharp jab of the gun to his lover's side silenced him.

"Allow me to enlighten you, pet," Itachi said lowly in Naruto's ear, ignoring his little brother and tightening his grip on the blonde's hair. "You've noticed your little, ah, 'anger' problem, yes?"

Naruto swallowed thickly, throat suddenly dry. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb, it's unbecoming," Itachi said sharply. His voice turned falsely sweet as he continued, "Why don't you tell me what you know about your dear parents, hm?"

The blonde bucked in his grip, breath quickening in anger. "What do they have to do with anything?" he demanded.

"They have everything to do with everything, Naruto," Itachi said cryptically. He suddenly pulled the other man closer, so close that his lips were pressed hard against the other's skin, and whispered, "Tell me how they died, Naruto."

The blonde froze, familiar emotion rising in his throat at the reminder of his loss. "N-no," he gasped, voice choking and breaking. "Stop it. Please."

"Tell me," Itachi breathed, mouth pressing still closer to the hot skin. "Tell me the story you've heard over and over again. Every detail, Naruto."

"No!" Naruto cried out, tears rising and spilling down his cheeks. Sasuke's fists clenched at the sight, desperate to _hurt _the horrible man who was putting his lover through this.

"I said, _tell me!_" Itachi roared, grabbing Naruto's arm, spinning him, and shoving his gun into the other's lower back.

"T-they died in a fire, okay!" Naruto shouted, bending at the middle as sobs ripped through him. "They died saving _me_!"

"Naruto," Sasuke said softly, heart wrenching at the sight.

"Good boy," Itachi praised, bringing the gun up to stroke down the side of Naruto's wet, flushed face.

"S-sir, please put down the gun," the officer said in a helpless voice.

Lazily, Itachi took the weapon off of Naruto's face and shot at the policeman, who gave one howl of pain then dropped to the ground, clutching at his stomach.

"O-oh, God," Naruto whispered, gasping through his tears. "Why–why did you do that? He didn't _do_ anything!"

Itachi shrugged and placed the tip of the gun back against Naruto's cheek, making the blonde shudder and sniffle, warily eying the dangerous black weapon so close to him.

"I'm going to tell you something, now, Naruto," he murmured, stroking the gun down the soft skin. "Something that will break your precious little heart."

Naruto closed his eyes, felt tears leak out of them. He didn't answer.

"Ready to hear the truth, pet?" Itachi asked, bringing up his other hand to caress Naruto's bobbing throat.

Naruto bit his lip hard enough to break the skin. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say," he said, and it came out more like a whimper than the forceful growl he'd intended.

"Oh, I think you do," Itachi murmured, stroking his victim's jaw with thin, calloused fingers. "Your parents didn't die in a _fire_, Naruto. They were killed in a laboratory– the same one that they used to experiment on you for the first five years of your life."

Naruto was absolutely still for one moment, and then he was a ball of rage, bucking and kicking, lips twisted in an almost inhuman snarl as he yelled incoherently at the man behind him. "Let me go– you're wrong, damn you–they'd never do that–never–

His voice broke off in a gasp as Itachi slammed his fist into his stomach hard enough to knock the breath out of his lungs.

"Settle down, now," Itachi soothed, easily wrestling the stunned man back against his chest. "I'm not done with my story."

"I d-don't want to hear it," Naruto choked out painfully, more sobs rising in his throat, threatening to strangle him.

"Stop this now, Itachi," Sasuke growled angrily. "Your fight is with me, not him."

"You?" Itachi snorted. "You mean nothing to me, little brother. I could wipe you off the map with a wave of my hand." He made a shooing motion and Sasuke's nostrils flared in anger, but he remained silent. "This one, however..." he continued, bringing his hand back to caress Naruto's skin, which was turning pale in sickness. "This one is irreplaceable. Why, with a little development, he could be the most powerful weapon in the world."

"W-what?" Naruto hissed, confused and afraid. "What does that mean? What are you talking about?"

"You don't have anger problems, Naruto," Itachi said with a faint chuckle, relishing in the moment of revelation as he gazed upon Naruto's fearful face. "Your parents injected special hormones into you when you were a child, pet. Your father was obsessed with strength– he wanted to find a way to make you as strong as possible– and the hormones appeared to be the right way to go. Sometime during the experimental process, though, something mutated in your blood– and now, inside of you, Naruto, there is something dark and evil growing... something that, with a little... encouragement, could give you that otherworldly strength and power that your father wanted for you. You could be unstoppable, Naruto, if you'd only let us help you."

Naruto's lips were trembling. Hell, his whole body was trembling. He couldn't comprehend any of this; so he latched onto the one thing that thrummed in his mind. "What happened to my parents, then?" he asked shakily. "How did they die?"

"It turns out," Itachi drawled, curling his finger around one of Naruto's blonde tendrils. "That the hormones they were using were stolen– from one of the most powerful gangs in Konoha."

"The Akatsuki," Sasuke breathed, realization setting in.

"M-my parents wouldn't–

"Oh, yes they would," Itachi interrupted, grinning in deranged amusement. "God knows how, but they broke into one of our most highly protected laboratories. After my dear mentor realized what they'd done, he only let them live for long enough to inject them into your system– he figured, since your father had already figured out how to do the complicated process of infusing the hormones with your blood, he'd let him go through with it before killing him off."

Naruto shook even harder. "I-I don't believe you," he whispered hoarsely. "It's not true."

"You will," Itachi murmured, cradling his distraught captive. "In time, my pet." He turned to Sasuke, then, expression still faintly amused. "Now, it's been fun, my brother, but I think it's time I take my leave. Goodbye."

With that, he hauled Naruto over his shoulder and took off running.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelped in surprise, terror surging through him as he saw the court begin to rush past him; he started to scratch and kick at his captor, fighting to get free, all-encompassing panic replacing his previous distress and completely consuming him. "Help!" he shouted desperately.

"Hang on, Naruto!" his lover called, eyes locking with his lover's terrified ones as he sprinted after them, followed by the few policemen who weren't busy with other members of the Akatsuki.

"Sir, stop running! We _will_ shoot!" one of them yelled, cocking his gun in warning.

"Don't!" Sasuke barked, not slowing in the least. "You could hit Naruto!"

"Got any better ideas?" the man demanded as they burst through the courthouse doors to the sidewalk outside.

"I–

Sasuke suddenly cut off and stumbled to a stop– in front of him, Gaara was standing above a fallen Itachi, bloody knife held high in his hand, a satisfied, fanatical gleam in his eyes.

"Gotcha," the redhead whispered, before delivering a vicious roundhouse kick to Itachi's head and sending him sprawling to the concrete.

There was a moment of shocked silence, and then Sasuke breathed, "H-holy shit."

A swarm of police immediately rushed onto the scene, shoving Sasuke to the side and wrestling Gaara and Itachi into handcuffs. Sasuke stumbled and stood back, completely and utterly floored.

_This _was what had taken his brother down? A surprise attack from a hidden observer? His whole life, spent trying to track down and kill this man, all reduced to this– a stroke of luck, a spiteful redhead with a knife.

A gasp from his left knocked him out of his reverie like a bucket of ice water. "Shit, Naruto," he cursed, immediately running to Naruto's convulsing form, which was strewn right beside where his brother's body was, obviously having been thrown there in the midst of Gaara's attack.

"Naruto? Naruto, can you hear me?" he demanded, turning his lover over and barely succeeding in holding back a gasp at his lover's bloodied face; he must have hit the left side on the concrete when he'd landed.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, eyes hazy with lingering fear and shock as they roved his lover's face.

"Yeah, it's me," Sasuke said reassuringly. "Lie still, alright? I don't know where you're hurt."

"N-no, I'm–I'm okay," Naruto insisted, attempting to sit up as lingering panic flared back to life. "Wanna–wanna get out of here. Now."

"Naruto, stop," Sasuke said firmly, putting a hand on his lover's chest and pushing him back down. "Please."

At the plead, Naruto stilled; and then two seconds later it hit him– the past few minutes came rushing back to him like a sucker-punch to the gut– and he bent double, nearly becoming sick at the realization of what had happened. "O-oh, God," he choked. "I-I– oh, man– I almost–

"Naruto," Sasuke said firmly, reaching for him. His lover shuddered, once, twice, then threw himself against Sasuke's chest, breaths more like sobs against the dark-haired man's neck. Sasuke wrapped his arms tightly around the blonde and pulled him as close as he could. "It's alright," he said, trying to calm him. "It's over. You're safe."

"Sasuke! Naruto! Are you alright?" came Kakashi's voice as he thundered down the concrete towards them. He stopped short at the enormous blood stain left behind from Itachi's body, which had been dragged to the side by the policemen and was now lying still and unresponsive in the late afternoon light.

"W-what the hell happened?" the white-haired man asked hoarsely, staring at the scarlet spot.

"Long story," Sasuke said shortly, barely glancing up from his distraught lover. "Status?" he asked after a moment. "Everyone okay?"

Kakashi shook himself and stepped around the stain to approach the two men. "Iruka got nicked in the shoulder by a bullet," he said darkly. "We were waiting inside for an ambulance– I just wanted to find you guys and make sure you were alright. Oh, and Kiba and Neji are fine. Kiba's just a little worn out from it all, but he should be okay after some rest."

The other man was obviously flustered. Sasuke looked up at him, catching sight of his face. "And you?" he asked, vaguely concerned. "You're bleeding."

Kakashi gave a short nod. "I'm fine," he grunted, wiping at his wounded cheek. "Bullet must've grazed me when I was getting Iruka out."

"Ah."

"You? How's Naruto; is he hurt?" Kakashi asked, gesturing to the blonde's huddled form.

Sasuke pulled him closer. "He'll be–

"Excuse me, gentlemen," interrupted a thin police officer as he approached them. "We've called in several ambulances and they should be in here in moments. We need this road cleared immediately so that they'll have a place to park."

Ah. So that's why they'd dragged Itachi to the grass.

"Er, yes sir," Sasuke grunted, shifting Naruto in his arms so that he was facing him. "Can you stand, Naruto?" he asked quietly. The other nodded, not looking at him, and allowed Sasuke to pull him slowly to his feet.

Once they were both standing the dark-haired man frowned; his lover's legs were shaking so badly that they looked as if they would buckle at any moment. He reached out and wrapped a strong arm around the blonde's waist so that he was supporting his weight. "Alright?" he asked gently, reaching over to tilt the other's chin up.

Naruto looked at him with frightened blue eyes. "Take me to Tsunade," he whispered.

"What?" Sasuke asked, taken aback. "_Now_?"

"I-I have to see her, Sasuke," he replied, voice suddenly bordering upon hysterical. "She knew my parents– she'll tell me the truth– she'll tell me how, how they died in a fire, and how–how, they wanted to save me, and–

"Naruto, stop," Sasuke said firmly, shaking his lover a little. He looked up at Kakashi, who looked vaguely concerned at Naruto's behavior. "Go back to the others," he said tersely. "I'll take care of Naruto. We'll meet you later."

Kakashi nodded, looking relieved to be going back to his own injured lover. "Call us if anything changes."

Sasuke grunted in agreement then immediately turned back to Naruto, disapproval written all over his face. "We need to get you home, Naruto," he said exasperatedly. "Look at you, you're a mess. Tsunade will be there in the morning."

"P-please, Sasuke," Naruto begged, fingers digging into the other's forearms. "I've got to find out the truth _now_. It'll kill me if I don't. _Please._"

Sasuke sighed, reached out to lightly touch the torn skin of his lover's cheek.

The truth was, he had a funny feeling his brother hadn't been lying about Naruto's past– and he wanted to keep Naruto from that pain for as long as possible. Knowing he couldn't and shouldn't prolong the inevitable, though, he finally said, "Alright. Let's get to the car, then."

"Thank you," Naruto murmured, gratefully leaning into his lover, fingers curling into his shirt as they began to walk.

"You're walking alright," Sasuke commented lightly as they made their way into the parking lot.

"Yeah, I'm not really hurt that bad," Naruto said distractedly. "Just a few bruises on my stomach from, f-from the–

He paused, a little overwhelmed at the thought.

"Gun," Sasuke finished quietly. "I know. You don't have to talk about it."

Naruto bit his lip and nodded, staying silent until they got to the car. Once there, Sasuke climbed into the driver's seat and Naruto got in on the other side, feeling a sense of urgency overtake him as he shut the door and strapped on his seatbelt.

"Hurry, Sasuke, let's go," he said impatiently, voice a touch desperate.

"Take it easy, dobe," Sasuke said sharply as he started the car. "She's not going to disappear. I'll get us there as soon as I can."

"Sorry," Naruto mumbled. "I'm... anxious."

"I can tell," Sasuke said dryly. He glanced over to the other man, saw the trembling shoulders and the troubled blue eyes, and hesitantly reached out a hand to his lover. Naruto offered him a tired, grateful smile, stressed creases slowly melting from his expression, and appreciatively took it, feeling warmth and calm rush through him at the feel of Sasuke's fingers squeezing his own.

"Thanks," Naruto murmured. Sasuke nodded, and they drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Kakashi! Did you find Naruto?" Kiba called, looking frantic even in his obvious exhaustion.

"He's with Sasuke; they're both fine!" Kakashi yelled back, jogging the rest of the way up to them and kneeling down next to his lover, who was still lying down where he'd left him, clutching at his shoulder and looking miserable. "How's Iruka? Has anything changed?" he asked the two other men.

"The bleeding's gone down a bit," Neji replied. "But he's lost a lot already. I think he's getting a little delirious."

Kakashi grunted and refocused on Iruka, who was shivering and mumbling a bit. "Iruka," he said gently, stroking his lover's sweaty brown locks away from his face. "Iruka, can you hear me?"

"Y-yeah," Iruka said weakly, reaching up with his good arm to grasp at Kakashi's forearm. His fingers were shaking. "You found Naruto? And he's o-okay?"

"He's alright," Kakashi soothed, moving a hand up to take the jacket that Neji was currently pressing against Iruka's wound and pressing it there himself. "You just worry about yourself right now, k?"

Iruka swallowed and nodded. "H-how bad is it?" he rasped.

"Nothing serious," Kakashi reassured. "Just needs a bit of patching up and it'll be good as new."

Iruka smiled weakly. "Kay," he murmured.

Kakashi laced their fingers together and squeezed softly. "You'll be fine. I promise."

"I trust you," his lover immediately replied.

Kakashi offered him a gentle smile, but his eyes were troubled. "You scared me in there," he said, remembering with sickening clarity the pained shout and the loud thud of his lover crashing into the ground after being hit.

Iruka stroked his thumb across Kakashi's knuckles, sensing his discomfort. "It's over now," he soothed. "And I'm gonna be fine. You said so."

Kakashi swallowed thickly. "Yeah," he muttered.

Kiba watched the two of them, a faint, tired smile lingering on his lips.

"You alright over there?" Neji asked, glancing at him.

"M'fine," Kiba said gruffly, even as his ribs gave a poignant throb. "Just...glad that it's over."

"Yeah," Neji replied. His voice turned sheepish. "Sorry I was so rough getting you out of there."

Kiba rubbed ruefully at his stomach, but gave Neji a reassuring grin. "I'd much rather be sore than shot."

Neji swallowed, oddly shaken by that. "Point taken."

"Where _is _my wheelchair, by the way?" Kiba asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Inside, probably," Neji grunted. He honestly didn't remember– when the lights had gone off, instinct had completely taken over; he'd lunged for Kiba, swept him up, and ran blindly through the chaos until he'd gotten him outside– nothing else had mattered at that point but keeping him safe.

"Hey, Neji," Kiba said quietly, gesturing for him to come closer. The other man obediently got up from the ground beside Iruka and sat next to Kiba on the curb of the street, eyebrow raised in question.

Before he could even think about it, Kiba leaned in and pecked the other man on the lips, startling them both.

Kiba immediately pulled away, coloring in embarrassment. "I, uh, sorry, I just wanted to... to say thank you, for-for saving me, and, you know..." he struggled..

Neji looked wide-eyed for a moment, and then his face melted into a smirk. He curled his fingers around the back of Kiba's head and brought their mouths together for a brief, heady kiss.

"Don't ever apologize for that," he said lowly, kissing him again, and then once more, for good measure.

"O-okay," Kiba said breathlessly, leaning his forehead against the other man's, unable to look away from the amused silver eyes.

Then Kakashi cleared his throat, and the moment was broken.

"Sorry boys," he said bemusedly. "But the ambulances are arriving. You might want to step back a little."

"Oh, r-right," Kiba stuttered, moving to stand and immediately regretting it as his ribs shouted angrily at him. "Fuck, that hurts," he cursed, bending double a little.

"Idiot," Neji said fondly, helping him to step backwards and sit back down farther away from the road.

Kakashi smirked at them, thoroughly amused by this new development; Iruka would certainly be surprised when he found out. He sighed, looking down at his now unconscious lover, and squeezed his limp hand, whispering, "Just another minute or two and you'll be back in your most favorite place, huh?"

Iruka didn't respond, and Kakashi thought it just as well– he'd probably have gotten swatted at for the comment.

He glanced up and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the first ambulance screeching around the corner and up the driveway, sirens blaring. Following it were at least a dozen more, along with more cop cars. As all of the vehicles began to flood in, Kakashi hovered a little more protectively over his lover– they were still quite near the road; he hadn't wanted to move Iruka and irritate his injury.

He didn't have time to regret the decision, because soon there was a swarm of nurses and doctors bustling around them and into the courthouse, entirely focused on the mess of bodies and injured people laying within.

"Hey–hey, excuse me, we need help here!" Kakashi called out, reaching up to grasp one of the white coats of a nurse who was passing him. She whipped around with a glare at being stalled from her mission, but then she caught sight of the bloody jacket pressed to Iruka's shoulder and became all business.

"Move to the side, sir," she barked. Kakashi immediately obeyed and she knelt down next to his lover, hands roving over his body and checking certain vital signs before hurrying to her feet and calling to the nearest doctor. "Hey, we need a stretcher over here ASAP! We've got a gun shot wound and he's lost a lot of blood!"

The man nodded and minutes later appeared with another doctor helping him to push a stretcher in between them. They rushed towards Iruka and carefully lifted him onto it, removing the jacket and tossing it aside before pressing a thick white towel to the wound instead. Kakashi stumbled to his feet, waved to Kiba and Neji, then quickly followed the doctors to the nearest ambulance. He spent a few frustrating minutes explaining he and Iruka's relationship so that they would allow him on board, and then climbed in and braced himself as they sped off to the hospital.

Kiba and Neji stayed behind, huddled close together in the grass, looking for all the world like two lost children in the midst of devastation. All around them, nurses and doctors and stretchers rushed and swarmed, desperate to get to every injured person; there was so much blood, screaming, terror, and pain– it was all they could do not to get swallowed up by it.

"N-Neji, I want to get out of here," Kiba said shakily, flinching when he heard a wailing scream of pain coming from inside the courthouse.

"Don't you want to be taken back to the hospital? Get checked out, just in case?" Neji asked, although he didn't look too keen on the idea either.

"No, I'd rather go back home," Kiba said, quickly amending, "I-I mean, to your place."

"Alright," Neji said, smiling a little at the slip. "Am I gonna have to carry you again or do you think you can walk?"

Kiba glared at him. "I can walk, thanks."

"No you can't," Neji deadpanned. "But if you want to try, by all means."

"Fine," Kiba said shortly, giving in. "Go ahead, Prince Charming. Rescue me."

"With pleasure," Neji said, smirking a bit. He leaned down and wrapped one arm around the other's shoulders and the other under his knees, then easily lifted him to his chest. Kiba grunted a little in pain at the movement, then settled against the long-haired man, his breaths coming a little faster but otherwise not showing any signs of discomfort.

"Alright?" Neji checked.

"Yeah," Kiba said, a bit breathlessly, grimacing as another howl of pain came from behind them. "Let's just go."

Neji nodded gravely, understanding the other's discomfort, and the two slowly made their way around ambulances and police cars to Neji's jeep, which was parked on the far end of the lot.

"Could we have parked farther away?" Kiba asked dryly, but he wasn't complaining; he quite liked where he was at that point, thank you very much. He absently leaned in closer to his friend, pressing his nose into Neji's chest and curling his fingers tighter in his shirt. At the touch, Neji looked down at him and offered a gentle, bemused sort of half-smile.

Kiba wanted to kiss it.

He colored at the thought, still entirely unused to thinking this way about his friend.

"We're almost there," Neji said, smile still playing on his lips; Kiba was so transparent– his thought process was written all over his face.

"G-good," Kiba stammered, wanting to hide his face in the folds of the other's shirt. He wasn't good at this. At all.

Neji shook his head a little in bemusement, and carried the brunette the rest of the way in silence. Before long he had him settled in the passenger seat, and the other's eyes were drifting closed in exhaustion. He walked around to the other side and quickly climbed inside, then stopped short at the sight in front of him. Kiba was curled against the window, mouth slightly open as small puffs of air gusted past his lips; the sun was beaming down on him, making the brown locks fanning over his tanned cheeks shine with rich color.

Neji felt like all the breath was gone from his lungs.

He swallowed, throat suddenly dry, and reached out to touch the other's cheek, softly brushing back the wayward strands of hair so that he could feel the smooth skin underneath.

"Mm..Neji?" Kiba mumbled, eyes scrunching and starting to blink open.

Neji pulled his hand back, chagrined. "Sorry. I, uh, I didn't mean to wake you– you can go back to sleep, I was just–"

"Neji," Kiba repeated, smile playing on his lips. "Don't ever apologize for that."

His own words flipped back at him made Neji color and bite his lip, suddenly unsure.

Kiba smiled at his shyness and hesitantly reached up with a hand shaking from fatigue to trace his jaw-line. He tenderly touched the full lips and felt them tremble underneath his fingertips. Neji kissed the deft digits, the movement almost unconscious, purely instinctual. He leaned forward across the console, pulled towards the other man by some magnetic force, and kissed the side of his face, the corner of his lips, the soft spot underneath his chin.

"Neji," Kiba murmured, hands reaching up to thread through Neji's long hair.

Neji pulled back to look at him, feeling something crackle between them like electricity in the intensity of the moment. "I..." he began hoarsely, simultaneously not knowing what to say and feeling like there was something burning to get out of him.

"I know," Kiba whispered, shushing him with a gentle finger on his lips. "I know." His voice softened even further. "Me too, Neji."

They kissed until Kiba couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"H-he–he was telling the _truth_?" Naruto asked, voice a strangled whisper as he gazed disbelievingly at Tsunade.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Tsunade sighed, rubbing a tired hand over her face. "I know it's hard to hear, but–

"Hard to hear?" Naruto asked, beginning to laugh hysterically as he rose to his feet. "_Hard to hear!?"_

"Naruto," Sasuke warned, standing as well and reaching out to his lover.

"No!" the blonde yelled, flinching violently away from him. "I-I don't believe any of this! You're lying, Tsunade!"

"Calm down, brat!" Tsunade barked, prompting Sasuke to glare at her.

"Naruto," he said quietly, trying to get his lover to focus on _him _and not his obviously spiraling emotions.

The blonde whirled around and looked at him with wild, panicked eyes, like those of an animal. "She's lying," he whispered. "I-it's not true. It isn't. They wouldn't–they wouldn't do that to me."

"Just take it easy," Sasuke said, cautiously stepping closer. "Calm down. Sit back down and listen to her."

Naruto put his hands over his face and shook, his entire upper body convulsing with anxious, panicky breaths. Sasuke hesitantly approached him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, sighing when the other man turned into him and hid his face against his chest.

"She's lying," he mumbled fiercely into his shirt.

"Let's just give her a chance to explain herself, alright?" he said gently, waiting for a moment before interpreting his lover's silence as acceptance and steering him carefully back to his chair.

"You gonna listen now?" Tsunade asked sharply, watching the blonde slump weakly against his seat and bow his head tiredly.

"Yeah," Naruto whispered.

"Good," Tsunade muttered. "Now, you can choose to believe what you wish, but everything that Itachi said _was _true. Your parents wanted to make you stronger than the average bear, and they paid the price for it, as you are now."

The bluntness of it made Naruto flinch. "I...I can't– I don't understand," he said, voice barely audible.

"Naruto, look, I don't have time to spell this all out for you," the old woman said exasperatedly. "I'm sorry it's coming out this way–

"Were you ever going to tell me?" Naruto asked, looking up at her with vulnerable blue eyes laced with anger. "You _knew, _this _whole time_, and you never said a word. Why, Tsunade? Why did you let me believe my parents were these wonderful do-gooders when they really–

"_Don't _you _dare_ say a bad word about them," Tsunade growled menacingly, rising to her full height and pointing a finger in his face. "Your mother and father were two of the most genuine, kind-hearted people I've ever met, and they loved you with every pore of there being. I don't want to hear you say one thing on the contrary!"

"You're not making any sense, hag!" Naruto exclaimed, standing again. "First, you tell me that my parents experimented on me for the better part of my childhood with _stolen _hormones all for the sake of a little added _strength_, and then you preach to me about what amazing human beings they are? I don't get it, Tsunade!"

"They were doing it to _help _you, Naruto!" she retorted hotly. "They didn't want anyone to be able to hurt you!"

"Most parents don't experiment on a _child_ for the sake of a little bully protection!" Naruto yelled, anger suddenly thrumming hot and quick underneath his skin.

Tsunade seemed to sense the dangerous change, and she abruptly sat down, schooling her expression into coolness before saying stiffly, "Calm down now, Naruto. You shouldn't let yourself get so worked up."

Naruto breathed hard, then his eyes widened in a moment of terror and he collapsed back into his chair, body spasming as if something had just _broken_ inside of him. "What's wrong with me?" he choked, voice rough and pained. "What's _happening_ to me?"

Sasuke's lips thinned; he hated watching his lover go through this, and he was enraged that it had been kept from him for so long.

"It's the mutation, Naruto," Tsunade said calmly before he could voice his protests. "It reacts to stress and causes your temper to go haywire."

"And h-how do I stop it?" Naruto asked, looking up at her, eyes shining with tears of panic. "How does it work? What's going to happen in the future? What the hell did they _do _to me?"

His voice broke and he dropped his head to his lap, gasping; crying.

Tsunade sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, resigning herself to the discussion. "Listen, Naruto. Your condition is not fatal. It would actually be quite stable, if this whole business with the Akatsuki hadn't of popped up again." She paused, mulling over her next words.

"After your parents died and you moved in with Iruka," she began slowly, "you had an extensive surgery to put a sort of 'seal' on the mutation. It was designed to block the stress signals from getting to the mutation and triggering it's power.

You see, the mutation was made so that anytime you got into a stressful situation– such as someone attacking you or anything of the like– you'd be able to tap into your extra strength and use it to your advantage. Unfortunately, your parents failed to predict how volatile the mutation would end up being– it was utterly uncontrollable. As a small child, you simply couldn't handle it. You hurt your friends, you even beat up Iruka a few times. That's why you became the sort of, ah... black sheep of the city."

Naruto swallowed, felt tears drip down his chin.

"Doctors had been analyzing your condition for months after your parents deaths. They finally came up with the idea for the seal, and you were as good as new after that."

"But?" Sasuke prompted.

"But...when you were kidnapped last year, your stress levels went way past the capacity of the seal's abilities. They broke down its defenses a little. And what with the past few weeks of craziness, you've put even more pressure on it. It's a beautiful invention, but it's not perfect. That's why your anger problems have most likely gotten worse as of late, am I correct?"

Naruto didn't seem able to answer, so Sasuke did it for him. "Yes. It's been getting steadily worse."

"Well, that's because he hasn't had a break from the high stress levels for a while. If he wants the seal to regenerate properly, he's going to need to somehow relax for a few weeks. Otherwise it could falter completely, and, well..."

"We're not going to think about that," Sasuke said firmly. He looked over to Naruto, waiting for some kind of reaction. His lover was still bent double, hands pulling at his hair, shoulders shaking.

"Why didn't you tell me?" the blonde finally whispered, voice ragged and broken.

Tsunade, for the first time, showed a little regret. "I thought we had it under control, Naruto," she said softly. "I know I shouldn't have kept it from you, but...God, you'd already gone through so much pain, and I didn't want to cause you any more."

Naruto looked up, sniffling, and wiped his eyes. "Well, congratulations," he said bitterly. "Mission accomplished."

Tsunade bit her lip, a little caught off guard by his words.

"Naruto," Sasuke said carefully. "You've heard what you needed to hear. Why don't we go home?"

Naruto looked over to him, eyes listless and leaking. "Whatever," he finally mumbled.

Sasuke turned to Tsunade, face hard and angry as he said through gritted teeth, "Thank you for agreeing to see us on such short notice, Governor. We'll be taking our leave now."

"Cut the bullshit, Sasuke, I know you're pissed," Tsunade said dryly. "Let's hear what you really want to say to me."

"Fine," Sasuke retorted, voice growing heated. "I think it's crap that you kept this from him for all these years. I don't think it's fair at all that he's finding out all at once like this. And most of all, I'm fucking _pissed _as hell that we could've prevented all this shit with the Akatsuki if we'd have known the connection Naruto's parents had with them. We could've saved him so much hurt and suffering if you hadn't of made such idiotic, irresponsible decisions. How's that for honesty?"

Tsunade grunted, respectfully. "That's fair," she hedged.

Sasuke breathed hard, nostrils flaring in lingering rage. "Damn right it is," he said fiercely.

"Now get out of my office."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"You're shaking," Sasuke murmured, climbing into bed beside his lover, who was sitting up against the headboard, back ramrod straight and blue eyes staring directly ahead.

Naruto swallowed, jaw working. He didn't answer.

"You gonna talk to me?" Sasuke asked, hesitantly resting his hand on his lover's thigh.

"I don't... I don't know what to say, Sasuke," Naruto whispered hoarsely, looking down at his hands wringing together in his lap.

Sasuke's lips thinned in uncertainty; he wasn't sure how to proceed either. His fingers clenched nervously against Naruto's black slacks.

"My whole life," Naruto began shakily, reaching up to wipe at his wet eyes. "My whole life has been a lie, Sasuke."

"Naruto," Sasuke sighed, grasping at one of his twisting hands. "That's not true."

"It is!" Naruto exclaimed, turning and locking eyes with him, blue irises lost and vulnerable.

Sasuke grabbed him by the back of the neck and brought him close. "_I'm _not a lie, Naruto." He gestured in between them, to their interwoven fingers. "_This _isn't a lie." He pressed a gentle kiss to the trembling lips. "That was_ real_. I'm here, Naruto, I'm right here-- and I'm never going to leave you. Alright?"

"Sas–Sasuke," Naruto breathed, and it was more of a sob than anything.

"Come here," his lover murmured, opening his arms right as Naruto fell into them.

It was like the floodgates burst open. Naruto cried, hard, for a long time; physically, mentally, and emotionally breaking down until he was nothing but a sobbing, sniveling mess, pressed against Sasuke's heart.

"It's going to be okay," Sasuke promised, smoothing down the tangled blonde hair. Naruto didn't respond, merely pressed his dripping face further into Sasuke's neck and shook.

Eventually, Sasuke pulled him down so that they were both lying down. "You need to get some rest, okay?" he said gently, grabbing the coverlet with the hand that wasn't wrapped firmly around Naruto's heaving shoulders and pulling it up over them both. "Just try and relax."

Naruto merely nodded, too exhausted to protest. He tucked his head underneath Sasuke's chin and closed his eyes, trying to calm down enough to let his battered mind and body rest for even a moment.

Just as he was about to finally drift off, he heard Sasuke softly mutter something into his hair.

"W..what?" he asked blearily, blinking against the skin of Sasuke's neck.

"Er," Sasuke stammered, surprised at being caught. "I-I said, that I love you."

Naruto smiled, then, and felt all of the leftover tension in his body just... drain out of him. "I love you too– so much," he whispered. "And I know we'll get through this."

Sasuke smirked a little, rubbed a hand down Naruto's spine. "Yeah. We always do."

THE END

----

...for now.

**AN: **Look out for an epilogue and (possibly) a sequel! I love you all!


	25. Epilogue

**AN:** Here ya go, my friends! The final installment of this gigantic monster of a story! I can't tell you how much your support has meaned to me. I know this story is far from perfect, but it's something I'm incredibly proud of-- I wrote it purely off of inspiration every chapter; there was no plan, no hothing.. just me, my muses, and a keyboard. I'm so glad it turned out the way it did, and I wouldn't change it for anything. Thanks so much, guys! Enjoy the epilogue :D

**Warnings:** cursing, kissing

**Pairings:** Sasu/Naru, Kaka/Iru, Neji/Kiba

**Disclaimer:** Naruto is not mine! (unfortunately... :[)

-------------

_**Five months later...**_

"Kiba, we're gonna be late!" Neji called, rubbing a frustrated hand through his hair. "What are you doing in there? We've got to–oh."

He abruptly stopped speaking as Kiba appeared in front of him, dressed in a slim black suit, shoulders looking broad and strong under the fitted fabric; lean legs looking longer than ever in the flattering slacks.

Neji swallowed, throat dry. "You look..."

"Like fresh meat, from the look on your face," Kiba joked, smirking a little even in his nervousness.

Neji colored and reluctantly tore his eyes away, muttering, "Sorry."

Kiba smiled genuinely, stepping closer to the other man and sliding his hands around his waist. "I thought we'd gotten past that whole apology business," he murmured, eyes glittering mischievously.

Neji nearly groaned. "Kiba, we've really got to–

The shorter brunette leaned up and kissed him before he could finish, startling him; he quickly got his bearings and was about to push away when a hot tongue slipped inside his mouth and he lost all ability of coherent thought.

It was only minutes later, when he yanked Kiba's shirt up, slid his fingers underneath, and felt the rough criss-crossed scars from the surgery– that he remembered what was so important.

Today was the day the jury was declaring their verdict for the case against Kiba's father.

"Kiba," he gasped, pulling away. "We've really got to go to the court. Now."

Kiba followed his mouth, nipping at the soft lips. "We don't have to," he whispered, curling his fingers around the back of Neji's head and pulling him closer. "We can stay here and–"

"Kiba, no," Neji said firmly, grabbing him by the shoulders and pushing him away, trying to ignore the stung look on the other man's face as he straightened his clothes from their disarray. When he finally looked up, Kiba was looking anywhere but at him, expression set in a scowl, suit a mess of rumpled wrinkles and haphazard fabric, hair tousled and tangled.

"Kiba, you know I want to," Neji sighed, stepping closer so that he could begin to right the other's sloppy appearance. "But not right now. Not when you're using this purely as an avoidance tactic."

"But I'm–I'm not," Kiba said, weakly. He sighed, breath gusting up through his bangs. "Alright, maybe I am." His eyes were troubled.

"What is it?" Neji asked softly, tucking a lock of brown hair behind the other's ear and stroking his cheek.

Kiba sighed again, turned his head so that he could press a kiss to Neji's palm. "It's just...," he began hesitantly. "It's just that, I know he'll be put away– our case was solid; there's no question the jury will find him guilty– and I...I don't want to see his face, when it happens." His voice dropped self-consciously. "His anger...it still terrifies me, even now."

Neji exhaled, face softening at the admission. He took another step closer and wrapped his arms around the other's shoulders, pressing him lightly to his chest. "I'll be right there," he said, low voice rumbling soothingly against Kiba's ear. "If he tries anything..."

"M'not worried about that," Kiba said quietly. "I know he can't touch me, but...that doesn't change the fact that just seeing him angry...it... it still..." he trailed off, embarrassed.

"You have every right to be afraid of him, Kiba," Neji said gently, fingers tracing the other's spine. "I would be, too."

"You?" Kiba snorted in disbelief. "You're not afraid of anything, Neji."

Neji smiled a little. "Believe it or not, I am. And if I'd had that heinous man as my father for all these years, I can assure you that I'd be frightened by him as well."

"You would?" Kiba murmured, biting his lip in lingering uncertainty.

"Absolutely," Neji said firmly.

Kiba sighed heavily and nodded, grateful for the man's support.

"You ready to go, then?" Neji gently prompted.

"No, but I suppose I have to, don't I?" Kiba said, a little bitterly. He shook himself, gave Neji a small half-smile. "Sorry. Yeah, I'm–I'm ready. Let's go."

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Kiba, over here!" Naruto called, bouncing on the balls of his feet and waving his arms at his friend.

"Dobe, stop acting like an idiot," Sasuke said sharply, but his eyes were amused.

"Hey guys," Kiba greeted as he came to a stop in front of them, feeling oddly shy. "Um, thanks for coming."

"Of course we came!" Naruto exclaimed with a grin, bounding over to give him a hug. He pulled back, his expression darkening a little. "We wouldn't miss seeing your bastard of a father get put away, as he rightfully deserves."

"Heh, yeah," Kiba said stiffly, trying to offer a confident smile. He couldn't seem to muster it.

He suddenly remembered something, and said in a genuinely happier voice, "Hey, congratulations about that last Akatsuki member being caught. You guys really are free now, huh?"

At this, Naruto smiled, and it was blinding. He looked over to Sasuke and locked eyes with him, blue irises intense and sparkling. "Yeah, we are."

Sasuke hadn't seen his lover look that happy in a long time. He offered him a gentle half-smirk, and said, "Yeah. Finally."

"That's great," Neji chimed in politely. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Neji," Naruto said brightly, eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Hi, boys!" came Iruka's frantic voice as he came jogging up to them. "Am I late? Did I miss it?"

"Iruka, you're fine," Kiba said, amused. "We haven't even gone in yet."

"O-oh," Iruka said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Kakashi left this morning for his government operation, and I kind of lost track of time– I thought I wasn't going to make it!"

"Oooh, and how'd you lose track of time, huh?" Naruto cooed, winking at him teasingly.

Iruka colored up to the roots of his hair and sputtered, swatting at Naruto indignantly. "Don't be crude, Naruto," he admonished, refusing to look at the blonde.

"Yes, sensei," Naruto laughed, relishing in teasing the other man.

"Er, sorry, but it looks like it's time to go in," Neji said reluctantly, breaking the cheerful mood.

All five men stiffened a little, and four pairs of eyes went straight to Kiba, who shifted uncomfortably. "Well? Let's go, then," he said gruffly. He stepped forward, and Neji put a subtle hand on his lower back, fingers stroking the tensed skin there in gentle support. Kiba looked back at him and gave him a tenuous half-smile, eyes grateful, then turned back to face the now open doors of the court. He took a deep breath, then walked inside, his friends and teacher following in tow behind him.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"Regarding the charges for the child abuse of Kiba Inuzuka before he turned 18 and the physical assaults on the same man after he turned 18, we find the defendant..."

Kiba clenched his eyes shut, unbidden tension rising within him and making every muscle in his body coil up tight. He squeezed Neji's hand so hard he felt his fingernails biting into the other's skin.

"Guilty."

There was a soft 'woop!' that sounded suspiciously like Naruto, and then a collective sigh of relief from the rest of them; Kiba blinked, once, twice, then slumped over and exhaled all the air he'd been holding in, breathing shakily, "Oh, thank God." He'd been pretty sure they'd win– but expecting it and actually _hearing _it were two completely different things. He was trembling in relief.

And then he looked up– just in time to see his father rocket out of his seat right towards him, snarling and yelling incoherently, face twisted in absolute, all-encompassing _rage._

Kiba's breath lodged in his throat; he gave a hoarse yelp and lunged backwards, managing to tumble over his legs and land in a heap on the court floor; he immediately threw his hands up over his head and braced himself for the inevitable impact of fists.

"Order!" the judge shouted. "Order! Police, get ahold of your charge _now!_"

The men were already sprinting after Kiba's father, who skidded to a halt in front of his son and threw his foot back, preparing to kick him in the stomach.

"Don't you _touch _him," Neji warned, rushing out in front of Kiba's form, face set in an angry, menacing expression.

Kiba's father opened his mouth to offer a nasty retort, but then he was yanked backwards by the two policemen and wrestled back towards his chair.

"You try something like that again, Mr. Inuzuka, you'll be back in court for something entirely different," the judge barked, looking enraged. "Do I make myself clear?"

The elder Inuzuka scowled and glared at Kiba. "That lying little shit deserves everything he gets," he bit out.

"That's enough!" the judge roared. "Police, get him out of here. The prison sentence I have decided on is 20 years. Have a nice day." With that, he slammed the mallet and stormed out of the courtroom, leaving a stunned audience in his wake.

After a moment, the two policemen obediently began pulling Kaji down the aisle in between the two seating sections, not stopping when Naruto called out fiercely, "You're a _sick _man. Rot in hell, you bastard!"

"Naruto," Sasuke warned, pulling his angry lover back down beside him.

"_What?_" Naruto demanded, eyes wild with rage. "Did you see what he just tried to do? That fucking–

"Naruto," Sasuke said louder, reaching out to shake his shoulders. "Calm down. You're getting out of control."

Naruto blinked, realizing with a start that he felt the now unfamiliar feeling of anger crawling underneath his skin like pure electricity. He took a deep breath, counted to ten, then leaned into Sasuke, breathing hard. "Sorry. I just... can't _believe_ he tried to hurt Kiba again. It made me so _mad._"

"I know," Sasuke said. "But you have to be more careful, alright?"

"Yeah," Naruto said sheepishly. "I know. Sorry." When his lover gave him a short nod he pulled away and stood, eyes roving across the seats to catch a glimpse of Kiba and Neji.

Neji knelt down beside Kiba and helped him to sit up. "You alright?" he murmured, fingers hovering against his back.

"Y-yeah," Kiba stammered, voice shaky with lingering fear. "Is he gone?"

Neji looked up and nodded. "Yes. They just escorted him outside."

Kiba let out a short breath of relief, and slowly got to his feet, legs still feeling a bit like jelly. He had about two seconds to prepare before he was tackled by Naruto, who wrapped his arms tightly around him and nearly squeezed the life out of his lungs.

"I'm so sorry, Kiba, are you okay?" the blonde babbled against his neck.

"Naruto, Naruto," he said ruefully, peeling his friend off of him. "I'm alright, honestly. I just wasn't expecting it."

"Well, okay," Naruto said doubtfully, pulling away from him. "If you say so."

"Really, Naruto, I'm fine," he insisted, ruffling the blonde's hair. It was funny, even though Naruto was a few years older than him, he felt like the other man was like his little brother.

Naruto shook him off like an offended cat and grumbled, "Okay, okay. I believe you."

"Congratulations, Kiba," Iruka said warmly, joining them and clapping his student on the shoulder. "I know that didn't end so well, but after today he'll never be able to hurt you again."

It was as if the words broke some sort of dam inside of him– Kiba's knees nearly buckled and he gasped in air, happiness and relief nearly choking him.

"Kiba– Kiba, what's wrong?" Neji asked, panicked, misunderstanding his seeming distress.

"N-no, Neji, I'm not sad– I'm–I'm– _ecstatic_!" he exclaimed, grin spreading from ear to ear. "It's really over. He's–he's gone! He's out of my life– _for good_!"

He threw himself into Neji's arms in a spontaneous, exuberant hug and Neji 'oofed', just barely managing to catch him. "Congratulations," he murmured into the thick brown hair, face melting into a smile at the other's obvious excitement.

"Aw," Naruto whispered, unconsciously leaning into his own lover at the sight.

Kiba pulled back from Neji and said, "We've got to celebrate!"

"Oh?" Neji asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Yes," Kiba said emphatically. "And I know just the thing!"

"Spill!" Naruto said excitedly.

"Let's go to the hilltop," Kiba replied brightly. "It's the one place I've always gone to whenever I needed to– Iruka? Are you alright? You went all...pale."

"Er, it's nothing," Iruka said thickly, trying not to remember the last memories he'd had of the place– being locked up and tortured inside of it hadn't exactly done much for its appeal in his book. "I just felt a little sick, all of a sudden."

"Bullshit," Sasuke said quietly. He turned to Iruka, saw the anger sparking there; but underneath it, a clearly frightened gleam. "You can do it, Iruka," he murmured. "Show them that you're stronger than they are. Show them that they don't run your life– not now, not ever."

"Yeah, Iruka," Naruto encouraged. "As of today, all of us are free. The Akatsuki are all put away, Kiba's father is headed for the same fate– we can finally relax. They don't have any hold on us. Not anymore."

Iruka smiled at them, a bit tremulously. "You're right– both of you. I used to love that hilltop– hell, I still do. They can't take that away from me. I won't let them."

"That's the spirit," Naruto said happily, beaming at him. He turned back to Neji and Kiba, who were looking slightly confused– they'd known that Iruka had gotten captured by the Akatsuki like Naruto, but they hadn't known the specifics– and said placatingly, "Don't worry about it, guys. We'll tell you later. Let's go celebrate, shall we?"

"Sounds like a plan," Kiba readily agreed.

HURTCOPEHEAL

"It's beautiful up here," Naruto said blissfully, staring out at the purpling sky as the sun slowly began to set, reveling in the warmth of Sasuke's arm, snaked around his waist.

"Yeah," Kiba murmured, closing his eyes against the feel of the breeze washing over his face. "It really is."

He leaned back against Neji's chest and smiled when the other man put his hands on his hips, squeezing lightly.

The four of them stood in silence for a few long minutes, swaying in the wind and enjoying the peace of the moment.

Iruka was sitting beside the four of them, perched on a large boulder, propping his elbows on his crossed knees and his chin on his folded hands. It was certainly relaxing and wonderful in this place, but he missed his lover, wanted to be watching the sunset along with him like the rest of his friends. He sighed, and resigned himself for a lonely evening.

"Well this is certainly cozy, isn't it?" came Kakashi's familiar drawl in his ear.

"Kakashi!" Iruka yelped, startled; he quickly got his bearings and leapt up to pull his lover into an embrace. "I thought you'd be on a plane by now!"

"Would you like me to leave?" the white-haired man asked, sarcastic smile playing on his lips.

Iruka swatted at him. "Of course not. I just want to know why you're here so soon."

"Yeah, Kakashi, I thought you were on some top-secret government thingie," Naruto said eloquently, not turning away from the stunning sky.

Kakashi shrugged, letting go of Iruka and stepping closer to the rest of them. "Tsunade called and said I could come home. She said that you had some exciting news for me, and that I should probably be here to congratulate you."

Naruto blinked, startled, and turned to face him. "Really? She did that?"

The other man shrugged again. "She's not a _complete _bitch, Naruto. Just 99.7% of the time."

Naruto snorted. "I guess." He walked up to his long-time mentor and friend and gave him a hug. "Thanks for coming back, Kakashi."

Kakashi gave him a quick pat and pulled away. "You're welcome. Now you gonna tell me the big news, or what?"

"Well..." Naruto began, smile spreading on his face. "As of today, all of the Akatsuki members have been caught and imprisoned."

"And," Neji added. "Kiba's father was found guilty. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison."

Kakashi whistled. "Whew, nothing like knowing criminals are rotting away in a jail cell to make one's day, huh?"

"Tell me about it," Sasuke said lowly, speaking up for the first time, voice an angry growl. "I've been waiting for those fuckers to be put away since last year. I'd rather them all be dead, but this feels damn good anyway."

Naruto blinked at his vehemence, then promptly latched onto his arm and leaned up to peck him on the lips.

"Thank you," he murmured.

"For what, dobe?" Sasuke asked, cheeks heating a little.

The blonde leaned in close, till his mouth was on the other's ear. "For being your unbelievably sexy, protective self."

Sasuke closed his eyes at the hot breath against his skin and curled his fingers around his lover's narrow waist, about to press him closer when Kakashi loudly cleared his throat.

Sasuke cursed and pushed Naruto away, looking supremely embarrassed. Or, as embarrassed as an Uchiha could look, anyway.

Naruto howled in laughter for a few long moments, then gave Kakashi a falsely sheepish look. "Sorry you had to see that, 'Kashi. Sometimes Sasuke just can't resist my–

"Dobe!" Sasuke warned, glaring at him.

Kiba snorted in laughter, and that was it– he and Naruto were bent over their knees within seconds, giggling and gasping for air.

Neji looked at Sasuke, and they shared a look of mutual understanding and frustration.

Kakashi merely smirked, and pressed Iruka to his side.

Under the sunlit sky, laughter and happiness bubbled up and filled the air; after what had seemed like an eternity of pain– there had been so much hurt, so much suffering to cope with– they were now finally, _finally_, on their way to healing.

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**AN:** I love you all! Hope you're happy with this story and the way it ended. I appreciate any and every bit of feedback. Please come back and read whatever I come up with next!

3


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